The Real Life Partners Of The Cast Of Euphoria
Euphoria has regaled fans with its eclectic brand of teen angst meets gritty realism, not to mention those NSFW scenes. With copious amounts of nudity amidst the classic teen drama, it's as if "Gossip Girl" had been directed by Lena Dunham, albeit in the most entertaining way possible. If Season 1 was not quite graphic enough for viewers (and if it wasn't, is everything okay?), the producers and writers have seemingly done all they can to surpass themselves with the second season. As The Guardian wrote in January 2022, "It took one look at its former self and thought: no, not shocking enough, try this. There is so much nudity, so much sex and so much violence."
The actors, although barely out of their teens for the most part, have exhibited their impressive acting chops worthy of plaudits and admiration. In particular, breakout star Zendaya has proven herself a force to reckon with, her unflinching portrayal of protagonist Rue a far cry from her family-friendly "Spider-Man" and Disney Channel personas. "Euphoria" is all about sadness, seduction, and very much sticking to the sext. But when the numerous ensemble cast members aren't getting hot and heavy under the glare of the camera lens, they're thoroughly devoted to their IRL partners.
Although the cast is mostly comprised of young actors in their 20s, many have already settled down with their partners, and their lives are far removed from those of the characters they play on HBO, while others are flitting between different relationships. Keep reading to discover the real-life partners of the cast of "Euphoria."
Zendaya is smitten with Tom Holland
Zendaya is swiftly on her way toward becoming one of the superstars of her generation. On "Euphoria," she has perfected the role of Rue, a troubled and anxious teen. In 2017, sources told People that she had hooked up with her "Spider-Man: Homecoming" co-star Tom Holland. Holland is a classically trained thespian, who got his big break on the West End stage before breaking into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"Having her in my life was so instrumental to my sanity," Holland told GQ in 2021. In that same interview, he confirmed that he is dating Zendaya, but lamented paparazzi intrusion into their love life, referencing an intimate pap shot of the couple kissing. "A moment that you think is between two people that love each other very much is now a moment that is shared with the entire world," he reflected.
"Spider-Man" producer Amy Pascal said that she advised the young lovers not to hook up during filming. "I took Tom and Zendaya aside, separately, when we first cast them and gave them a lecture: 'Don't go there — just don't,'" she told The New York Times, though the co-stars scarcely heeded her warning. Meanwhile, fans are loving the pair's wholesome romance, with Holland frequently paying tribute to his lady love on Instagram. In 2021, he shared a snap of Zendaya above a heart-eyes emoji. Chatting to Extra, Holland said of his paramour, "I love her to bits," leaving our Spidey senses tingling.
Eric Dane is estranged from wife Rebecca Gayheart
One-time "Grey's Anatomy" heartthrob Eric Dane made our body parts bulge (our eyeballs, obviously) due to a particularly graphic moment in "Euphoria" Season 2 episode "Out of Touch." While the scene may have fulfilled co-star Christin Byrdsong's long-time fantasy, Dane is taken. Well, sort of. Although he and wife Rebecca Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, they are still technically married, as of this writing, according to Radar.
Dane and Gayheart first met around 2004, but it wasn't exactly the meet-cute of the century. "It went basically like this: 'Hi.' 'Hi.' 'You wanna go out?' 'Yeah, sure.' Ten months later, we were married," Dane told Flaunt Magazine. Sounds like the most euphoric of meetings. Gayheart, who is also an actor, is best known for her roles in a succession of '90s teen flicks, such as "Scream 2," "Urban Legend," and "Jawbreaker." Speaking with Express, Dane recalled how he first popped the question. "She asked me if I ever did anything impulsive and I said, 'Like what? Ask someone to marry me?'" he said. "And she said, 'Yeah, something like that,' and I said, 'Do you want to marry me...?'"
Although the couple decided to call it quits, they remain close. "My ex Eric and I, we are friends and we are doing our best to co-parent and maintain a family. ... Legally we're still married, but separated," Gayheart told People in 2019. "And I think we're doing a pretty good job of it."
Barbie Ferreira is loved up with Elle Puckett
Newcomer and, it must be said, fantastically named Barbie Ferreira has injected some much-needed body-posi attitude into "Euphoria" as her character, Kat, embarks on a path of self-discovery. Away from the camera, she is in a loving relationship with Elle Puckett. Ferreira and her girlfriend appeared in the 2020 Vogue feature "24 Hours With Barbie Ferreira," in which she woke up with her lover nestled in bed beside her. Later, Puckett can be seen chauffeuring her gal around town like a true gentlewoman.
Puckett is a musician who plays under the name Rosie Ugly, sporting a distinct brand of lo-fi chillwave pop with her 2020 single, "Bad Dog." With her sister, Shealeen, she was also one half of indie group Poema. In 2020, Puckett shared a loved-up Instagram photo of herself and Ferreira kissing with the caption, "true love's kiss," followed by a heart emoji.
While Puckett loves nothing more than to post sweet snaps of her smooching her girlfriend on the gram, Ferreira tends to keep her social media accounts strictly professional. Although she hasn't publicly spoken much about her partner, in 2019 she revealed to Out that she was living her best WLW life. "I'm queer. In my private life, it's been going on for a long time," Ferreira explained. "I obviously don't really identify as a straight woman ever in my life, but I feel like now I'm really in my queerness. I'm in LA living my 'L Word' life. Isn't it amazing?"
Jacob Elordi's colorful dating history
Aussie actor Jacob Elordi has left "Euphoria" fans enraged due to his portrayal of violent abuser Nate. But away from the camera, Elordi appears to be a decidedly un-problematic individual and has thus attracted numerous lady loves.
He was linked to his "Kissing Booth" co-star, Joey King, in 2018, though they apparently split mere months later. In 2020, Elordi dated model Kaia Gerber, the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford. Speaking about the relationship, he told Men's Health, "She handles herself wonderfully publicly, and I've learned so much from her about how to handle it, how to deal with it and just kind of be whatever about it." Per E!, they broke up amicably after one year. Moreover, he was rumored to be dating "Euphoria" co-star Zendaya, seemingly spinning a web-shaped love triangle with her beau, Tom Holland. In 2020, E! reported that the pair had "been inseparable since last summer." However, neither party ever confirmed the supposed romance.
Clearly, Elordi might have a thing for the offspring of celebs. Another of his rumored exes is YouTuber Olivia Jade, who is the daughter of "Full House" star Lori Loughlin, and who was infamously involved in the college admissions scandal. According to E!, the pair were reportedly spotted "flirting and smiling" during a coffee date in LA in late 2021. However, it seems that the impossibly tall hunk and lifestyle influencer have since parted ways, following shots of Jade stepping out of a luxury hotel with another man in January 2022, per the Daily Mail.
Alexa Demie is reportedly dating Christian Berishaj
Alexa Demie has been skilful at handling some pretty tough subject matter on "Euphoria." In Season 1, her character, Maddy, was subjected to domestic abuse by her boyfriend, Nate. But in real life, Demie evidently has a penchant for musicians. In an interview with InStyle, she laughed about her first celeb crush being none other than Eminem. As of this writing, her boyfriend is reportedly Christian Berishaj, also known as JMSN, an acclaimed R&B musician. In 2017, Demie appeared in the music video for Berishaj's song "Slide," suggesting that they've been partners for quite a while.
In 2020, the sun-kissed couple was photographed frolicking on a beach and holding hands. Per Cosmopolitan, the actor commented "sexy" under a December 2021 Instagram post that her rumored BF shared. However, other than the occasional allusion to Berishaj, Demie doesn't chat much about her personal life, telling People en Español, "I'm a very private person. I think you can even see in my Instagram." Demie has made a point of not posting personal photos on her social media accounts.
Furthermore, she has reflected on how her own romantic relationships have shaped her depiction of Maddy. "A lot of the time as women, I think we try to be a mother figure for men," Demie told Wonderland Magazine. "We think that we can fix them, and that was definitely me growing up. I had a lot of dysfunctional high school relationships where I thought I could help them or change them, you know?"
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Storm Reid has been dating Sayeed Shahidi since high school
Playing Rue's sister, Gia, up-and-coming star Storm Reid has enamored audiences with her sympathetic portrayal of a devoted sibling. Still in her teens, Reid has been dating Sayeed Shahidi since they were kids in high school. Shahidi is also an actor, famed for playing Adonis on "Black-ish."
In 2021, he featured on his girlfriend's Facebook Watch series "Chop It Up," in which it was revealed that they had been smitten since 2017, when they were just 13. Recalling how they first met, Shahidi said that Reid initially caught his eye at the Disney Jungle Ball. "I had no idea that you saw me, but I saw you immediately and I was like, 'Oh my god, he's so cute!'" Reid gushed. Shahidi added that he was "so nervous" when he met his future girlfriend. Undeniably, the teen love birds appeared wise beyond their years as they discussed the nuances and intricacies of dating, and it seems that Reid isn't too dissimilar from her sagacious "Euphoria" counterpart after all.
Likewise, Shahidi is quite the knight in shining armor. He asked his girlfriend to the prom in the most adorable way. Shahidi's sister, Yara, revealed that he enlisted her help before popping the big question to his gal. "After big sister FaceTime consultations, conversations with his homies and knowing what would make her smile, Sayeed SURPRISED Storm with the CUTEST promposal," Yara wrote on Instagram in 2019 with a pic of the delightful couple.
Hunter Schafer may be dating this co-star
Hunter Schafer has been instrumental in trans visibility via her depiction of Jules on "Euphoria." Schafer, who has said that she identifies as "bi or pan," has been linked to her co-star, Dominic Fike, after the pair were spotted holding hands. According to E!, the duo appeared besotted in January 2022 as they strolled outside a swanky West Hollywood restaurant together, hand in hand. Meanwhile, insiders told gossip site Deux Moi that the rumored young lovers were getting very close indeed.
In an interview with Harper's Bazaar in December 2021, Schafer hinted at having found new love since moving to Los Angeles, though she remained tight-lipped about the identity of any new partners. "My first friends in New York, my first love. And now my Euphoria family, the community I've found in Los Angeles," she said. "Not to say I've left the previous relationships behind, but I believe in ebbing and flowing. People need each other in a really special way sometimes, and then that need falls away as you both move forward in life. What's left is the love and the care that carries on." On social media, Schafer was previously seen getting close to model Massima Desire.
As for Fike, he stars on "Euphoria" as the enigmatic Elliot, and he is also an acclaimed singer-songwriter. He previously dated actor Diana Silvers, whom he termed "a musical encyclopedia" in an interview with GQ, but if gossip is to be believed, he has swiftly swapped Silvers for Schafer.
Sydney Sweeney has an older boyfriend
Sydney Sweeney is adept at playing the sweet Cassie on "Euphoria." Like her character, who had her most intimate moments exposed for the entire world to see, Sweeney is extremely guarded of her private life. According to Cosmopolitan, she began dating restaurateur Jonathan Davino, who owns pizza joint Pompei, in 2018. The outlet notes that there is a 13-year age difference between the partners.
In 2020, the couple was snapped having a risqué romp in Hawaii, in which Sweeney draped her legs around her lover's tanned bod on the beach, per Just Jared. After fans caught wind of her relationship, many were upset that Sweeney was dating a man. However, she advised one overzealous Twitter user that dating a man does not make a woman heterosexual. Posting a photo of her cuddling another woman, she tweeted, "baby girl go have a feast. your girl at prom."
When she's not wrapping herself around her man, Sweeney tends to keep her love life under wraps. Chatting to The Guardian in 2021, she made a point of distancing herself from her "Euphoria" character, opting to shroud her private life in mystery in order to protect herself, particularly after partially nude screengrabs from the series made their way online. "I'm pretty happy keeping it private for myself," Sweeney explained. "It's a little something that my family gets to hold on to, or my best friends, and it's a good separation for what I do."
It was love at first sight for Colman Domingo and his husband
Colman Domingo has warmed the hearts of "Euphoria" fans as Ali, Rue's kind-hearted sponsor. The actor has been married to Raúl Aktanov since 2014, and the pair had the most adorable meet-cute at a Walgreens nine years earlier. "I just felt something," Domingo sweetly told GQ of first setting eyes upon the love of his life in 2005.
Likewise, Aktanov couldn't forget Domingo's enigmatic face and decided to hop on Craigslist to try and find this handsome mystery man. Upon seeing Aktanov's post, which began, "I saw you outside of Walgreens in Berkeley," Domingo said, "I literally jumped out of my chair." After a cozy bar date, the pair rapidly fell in love. "I feel like I needed to understand everything that you are," Aktanov told GQ of his beau. We're not crying, you're crying...
According to Broadway World, Aktanov is a costume designer, who has worked closely with his husband throughout the years. In an interview with the Advocate, Domingo expounded on the depth of the couple's love. "We are deeper into our relationship now than we've ever been, and I expect that to grow," he explained. "You're along for each other's ride through life. ... It helps that my husband and I want nothing more for ourselves than to be the best persons we can be and allow ourselves to be free and unafraid, and help each other grow in our own spaces."
Alanna Ubach has met her match in Thom Russo
Alanna Ubach may play Cassie's cocktail-swigging mom, Suze, on "Euphoria," but she's a dedicated family gal away from the cameras. She is married to Thom Russo, a music producer and engineer who's counted artists such as Michael Jackson and Jay-Z among his elite clientele. To boot, he has won a whopping 16 Grammys to date. Speaking with Brite & Bubbly, Ubach gushed about her husband's musical talents. "I myself can't pick up an instrument for the life of me," she joked. "I myself married a music man. My husband is a music producer and he can pick up any instrument."
In 2017, they welcomed a son, Thomas Rodolfo, whose name has bittersweet origins. "Our little man is named after both our late fathers," the couple told People. In a separate interview with the same outlet, Ubach revealed that she and her husband had previously struggled to conceive a baby, so they froze several embryos.
Russo is immensely proud of his wife. In an interview with Not Quite Susie Homemaker, Ubach said that her husband was reduced to tears when he first heard her singing in Pixar flick "Coco," in which she plays family matriarch Mamá Imelda. "It's too bad that I didn't bring Kleenex," she quipped. "But he was just floored, and he didn't really know that I could sing like that. I mean, you know, he'll hear me in the shower, and here we go back to the shower, but this was really important."
Keean Johnson and Sofia Boutella keep things low key
While his onscreen alter ego, Daniel, may be somewhat unpalatable on "Euphoria," Keean Johnson is devoted to his girlfriend, Sofia Boutella, IRL. In 2019, Us Weekly reported that the pair had been dating for a year, though Boutella opted not to accompany her beau on the red carpet. Meanwhile, a source who spoke to People at the time detailed the couple's ups and downs through the years. "They started dating about a year ago, but broke up for a short period in between. They're super happy together and seem to be getting serious," the insider revealed.
Boutella is a multi-talented French-Algerian dancer and actor, having worked for the likes of Madonna, who introduced her to dancing in heels. As for her acting career, Boutella has appeared in numerous films in both France and Hollywood. Famously, she played the eponymous role in 2017's "The Mummy," which unfortunately saw her nominated for Worst Supporting Actress at the Razzies.
In 2019, Johnson and Boutella attended a Vanity Fair party together, with gent Johnson helping his love out of a limo. Chatting with The Face, the actor opened up about his love life, telling the outlet that he met Boutella at a game night in 2018. Although he didn't divulge much about his girlfriend, he called her "lovely." The Face notes that there's a 15-year age gap between the pretty boy and sultry French-Algerian star, who's frequently featured in nude black-and-white snaps on her boyfriend's Instagram.
Minka Kelly has found love with Trevor Noah
Minka Kelly has been a welcome A-list addition to "Euphoria," with fans hopeful that they'll get more than a mere glimpse of the star in a striking metallic dress as Samantha. At the time of this writing, Kelly is linked to South African comedian Trevor Noah, who is best known for hosting "The Daily Show." In 2020, a source told People that things were heating up between Kelly and Noah, who were "very happy" together. Likewise, an insider told E! that Kelly had moved into Noah's New York home that year and the relationship was "getting serious."
But things weren't always rosy for the couple. In May 2021, an insider alleged to People that Kelly and Noah had split up, despite initially having some big plans together. However, in December of that year, Noah posted an Insta snap of Kelly mingling at a birthday celebration for his pal. "Now they're back together. They realized they're both happier being together than apart," a source previously told Us Weekly that June, adding, "They already went on vacation together and are spending a lot of time together."
Just don't expect Kelly to post any pics of Noah on her Instagram any time soon. As she told the New York Post in 2018, "You'll never see me with a man on my social media feed. Unless I'm married. But maybe not. I enjoy keeping some things a secret." Get the memo, Trevor: You won't be making it Insta official on Ms. Kelly's feed.