Eddy Chen/HBO
Dominic Fike revealed that he was almost fired from "Euphoria" because he was high on drugs during filming of the hit HBO show.
In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Fike discussed how "difficult" it was to be a "drug addict coming onto a show about drugs," noting that show creator Sam Levinson even hired him a sober coach to help him through filming, but that "did not work."
Lowe asked Fike if he was "doing scenes high" to which Fike responded, "oh my God, yeah dude."
"I was so fucked up doing a lot of that show," Fike continued. "It was really bad. I was reprimanded for it. I almost got kicked off the show."
Fike said they pulled him aside and told him he "can't be doing this" while filming on set.
Fike joined "Euphoria" on its second season as Elliot, a drug user and musician who befriends Rue (Zendaya) and causes a rift between Rue and her girlfriend Jules (Hunter Schafer). Throughout the season, Elliot and Rue continue to engage in substance abuse.
When asked if scenes made it onto the HBO series where he was high, Fike told Lowe, "Yeah, they had to."
"That's entertainment, dude," Fike said in response to Lowe telling him that felt like a double standard. "They give you a bunch of money and they're just like, 'Yeah, figure it out, bud. Sink or swim.'"
A representative for Fike declined to comment.
Fike told Lowe he's sober now and looking forward to the show's upcoming third season, which was recently pushed back to a 2025 release due to the ongoing writer's strike.
"It's gonna be sick," Fike said, of when the show begins production again. "I think I just have a better dynamic with everybody — I mean well… almost everybody."
While filming the show's second season, Fike and Schafer began dating. In a July Los Angeles Times profile, Fike said he and Schafer are no longer together.
When asked if that's going to make it weird on set, saying he's not the first person to fall in love with a costar, Fike said, "No, I think it'll be fine. We're all adults, kind of. I'm trying."
Representatives for "Euphoria" did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
