Euphoria is an American teen drama television series created by Sam Levinson and based on the Israeli series of the same name. The show follows a group of teenagers in East Highland, a fictional suburban town, as they navigate high school life, relationships, sexuality, drugs, social media, and struggles at home. The main characters are in their junior year of high school for the first season, which means most of them are around 16 or 17 years old.
Rue Bennett
Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya, is the show’s protagonist. She is 17 years old and in the 11th grade. Rue had just gotten out of rehab at the start of season 1 and was struggling to maintain her sobriety after developing an addiction to various drugs following the death of her father.
Jules Vaughn
Jules Vaughn, played by Hunter Schafer, is a 17-year-old trans girl who just moved to East Highland at the start of season 1. She meets Rue at a party and they develop an immediate connection. Jules is a junior like Rue.
Nate Jacobs
Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi, is the main antagonist of the show. He is 17 years old and a junior at East Highland High School. Nate comes from a dysfunctional home and presents a tough exterior to hide his insecurities.
Maddy Perez
Maddy Perez, played by Alexa Demie, is Nate’s on-again, off-again girlfriend. She is also 17 and in the 11th grade. Maddy comes from a middle-class family and presents herself as a bold, sexually confident girl, though she secretly grapples with self-esteem issues.
Cassie Howard
Cassie Howard, played by Sydney Sweeney, is another one of the main girls. She is 17 and in the same grade as her best friend Maddy. Cassie struggles with her sexual history and reputation at school, as well as a dysfunctional home life.
Kat Hernandez
Kat Hernandez, played by Barbie Ferreira, is a junior who undergoes a sexual awakening and body transformation during season 1. She begins exploring her identity and sexual agency. Kat is one of Rue’s closest friends.
Chris McKay
Chris McKay, played by Algee Smith, is a junior and football player. He briefly dates Rue in season 1 and cares for her, though they ultimately end things when Rue relapses. He comes from a middle-class family.
Lexi Howard
Lexi Howard, played by Maude Apatow, is Cassie’s younger sister. She is 16 years old and a sophomore. Lexi is more reserved and studious compared to her peers. She has unrequited feelings for her childhood best friend Rue.
Fezco
Fezco, played by Angus Cloud, is a drug dealer in his early 20s who supplies Rue with drugs. He dropped out of high school but looks out for Rue in a protective, brotherly way. His actual age and grade level are unclear.
Minor Characters
There are several other minor teen characters who are presumably in the 11th grade as well, given they are peers with the main cast. These include:
- BB Alvarez, played by Javon Walton – local drug dealer
- Ethan Lewis, played by Austin Abrams – Kat’s love interest
- Daniel, played by Keean Johnson – Cassie’s love interest
- Anna, played by Quintessa Swindell – a classmate who attends parties
- McKay, played by Algee Smith – Cassie’s ex-boyfriend and football teammate of Nate’s
Grade Level Breakdown
In summary, here is the grade level breakdown of the main teen characters in Euphoria season 1:
| Character | Grade |
|---|---|
| Rue Bennett | 11th |
| Jules Vaughn | 11th |
| Nate Jacobs | 11th |
| Maddy Perez | 11th |
| Cassie Howard | 11th |
| Kat Hernandez | 11th |
| Chris McKay | 11th |
| Lexi Howard | 10th |
| Fezco | N/A |
As you can see, the core friend group at the center of Euphoria are juniors in the 11th grade, which is very typical for a show about American high schoolers. The only exception is Lexi, who is a sophomore and one grade below her older sister Cassie. Fezco is older and outside the high school social scene. The supporting characters are also implied to be juniors like the leads.
Conclusion
Euphoria provides an unflinching, dramatic look at a group of teenagers navigating friendships, relationships, identity struggles, and addiction. It stars Zendaya in a career-defining role as 17-year-old drug addict Rue, along with an ensemble cast of other high school juniors at the center of the show. The only prominent character who is not a junior is Rue’s friend Lexi Howard, who is a sophomore and Cassie’s younger sister. Euphoria provides an honest portrayal of contemporary teen life with characters who feel like real, complex high school students.