Dominic Fike Explained Why He Almost “Got Kicked Off” Euphoria

When Euphoria Season 2 introduced Dominic Fike as Elliot, the real-life musician soon earned positive reviews for his performance as the singer-songwriter-student with a mostly secret drug habit. Behind the scenes, though, his first season on the hit HBO drama had its own hidden troubles. Fike recently told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that he actually came close to getting fired.

“I was a drug addict, and coming onto a show, you know, mainly about drugs, was very difficult,” Fike explained to Lowe. “Sam [Levinson], the director and writer, was like, he got me a sober coach — somebody to be there, you know, all the time. Did not work.”

The Sunburn singer confirmed that he filmed scenes while he was high, and they had to use them. “I was so f*cked up doing a lot of that show,” he said. “It was really bad. But, you know, I was reprimanded for it. I almost, you know, got kicked off the show. … They were like, ‘Bro, you cannot be doing this.’”

Fike, who said he’s sober now, also opened up about his on-set drug use in a Los Angeles Times interview and gave credit to his co-stars for the fact that his scenes were still well-received. “I’m not an actor,” he said. “It was more that I just had good scene partners.”

Still, the singer-songwriter didn’t say he felt his substance use negatively affected his scenes. “I think I’m a little bit looser on drugs, so maybe I wasn’t afraid to do it,” he told the LA Times. “Maybe I would have done better off drugs. Maybe not.” (With music, on the other hand, it’s more clear cut to him, and he described his voice as “f*cked up from coke.”)

Season 3 will give him a fresh chance to find out how he acts when he’s not using drugs. Fike looked ahead to the upcoming shoot and told Lowe that being sober has helped him “have a better dynamic with everybody” (or “almost everybody” anyway) ahead of their return to set. However, he acknowledged that it will be challenging but “fine” to work with his ex-girlfriend, alluding to his recent breakup with co-star Hunter Schafer, whose character, Jules, became romantically involved with Elliot in Season 2. Fike added that he’s “done being in relationships right now” and lamented the fact that he keeps getting into public relationships.

The Euphoria actor still has some time before he has to be ready to return to the series’ set, though. Season 3 was reportedly originally scheduled to begin in February 2021, but Levinson and Zendaya’s busy schedules, plus the WGA writers strike, have altered HBO’s plans. Season 3 is expected to debut in 2025 at the earliest.

If you or someone you know is seeking help for substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).