Ethan Carter
Don’t blink, or you might miss Nika King in Euphoria Season 3.
Nika King portrays Leslie Bennett, who is Rue’s (Zendaya) mother. She has delivered some of the series’ most unforgettable moments, including an intense confrontation with Rue in the standout Season 2, episode 5.
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As Season 3 progresses, Leslie’s role has diminished to just a voice on Rue’s phone. In episode 2, Rue leaves her an emotionally charged voicemail from a gas station. By episode 6, Leslie answers the call, and the two share a heartfelt conversation about Rue’s desire to return home.
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Audiences only hear Rue’s perspective during this call, echoing her earlier phone call with Fezco (the late Angus Cloud) from prison in episode 3. Viewers only see Leslie at the very end of their conversation when she expresses her love for Rue before hanging up.
This moment marks Leslie’s sole appearance in the episode. Nika King’s reaction on Instagram indicated her surprise at the limited screen time and dialogue. Fortunately, she seems to be able to find humor in her brief role.
Nika King in “Euphoria.”
Credit: HBO
In a lighthearted Instagram video shared after episode 6 aired, King humorously addressed her fans, stating, “I just watched my episode that I’ve been promoting all week, and my mom is over here teasing me. My mom is teasing me! She said the internet waited all this time for me to just say one line.”
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“Three years,” chimed in her mother, chef Sharon Allen, from off-screen.
“I can’t do anything but laugh,” responded King.
Allen delivered a witty retort: “What do you want me to say? You didn’t have much to say [in the episode].”
“You better be glad I have a sense of humor,” King replied. “You better be glad I have thick skin.”
King gained significant attention in 2024 for her stand-up routine discussing the long-awaited Euphoria Season 3.
“People are saying, ‘We need Season 3.’ I’m like, ‘Bitch, I need Season 3! I haven’t paid my rent in six months,” King joked during her set. “And while Zendaya is over in Paris at fashion week, I’m here saying, ‘Bitch, come home! I need you. Mama needs you.’
After fans showed concern for King’s situation, she clarified her comments were meant to be humorous in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “My reference to Euphoria during my stand-up tour was a lighthearted joke. While many have seen me play serious roles on-screen, my roots are firmly in comedy.”
Nonetheless, King’s journey on Euphoria is not finished. In response to a comment on an Instagram post from April 26, King revealed she appears in episodes 6 and 8. The extent of her role in episode 8 remains to be seen, but surely it will be more substantial than her part in 6, right? Right?
New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
Daniel Mercer
Brandon Fletcher
