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'Euphoria' Season 3 premiere episode pays moving tribute to late executive producer and actors

Season 3 of 'Euphoria' picks up five years after the events of the sophomore installment, thus putting an end to the high-school years.

Season 3 of 'Euphoria' is finally here, and much has changed since the conclusion of the HBO show's sophomore season. The third season resumes the narrative of Zendaya's Rue and the other characters, following a five-year time jump. The erstwhile high school setting of the show has been traded in for a gritty, real-world backdrop that is seldom merciful. The premiere episode also opened on a somber note, with a heartfelt dedication to three members of the cast and crew who, unfortunately, met their demise. 

The in-memoriam section in the first episode of 'Euphoria' Season 3 included dedications to late actor Angus Cloud, who played Fezco, late actor Eric Dane, known for playing Cal Jacobs, and late executive producer Kevin Turen. While Cloud succumbed to an accidental drug overdose at the age of 25 back in 2023, Dane was known for his contribution to 'Grey's Anatomy' and returned to play Cal on 'Euphoria' earlier this year before passing away in February. On the other hand, Turen died in November 2025 following a case of cardiac dysfunction and associated heart disease. 

Turen's past credits include 'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent', 'Pieces of a Woman', and the 'X' horror film series by Ti West. Honoring the memory of his late crew member, 'Euphoria' director Sam Levinson recently made a statement during the premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles: "Some people ask why it took so long between seasons 2 and 3. There were obvious factors — the strikes, trying to make a schedule work with our very in-demand cast — but the real time was in trying to figure out how to find a way to pay respect to those who we lost." Turen and Levinson had been frequent collaborators and shared a relationship that stretched far beyond the HBO show. Turen started his career working at the indie film and home video distributor company First Look Pictures, based in Los Angeles. 

He then worked with several production companies, developing and producing numerous titles throughout the 2000s. A noteworthy film Turen produced during that period is Richard Gere's financial thriller 'Armitage.' He eventually joined screenwriter/director David S. Goyer's production company in 2014, collaborating with Levinson for the first time on the black comedy 'Assassination Nation' and producing the Levinson film 'Malcolm and Marie.' Furthermore, he was the executive producer on the first and second seasons of 'Euphoria,' as well as the heavily shaded show 'The Idol,' also by Levinson. 'Euphoria' airs new episodes every Sunday on HBO.