Ever since the actor and model left the hit HBO show last year following its second season, rumors have swirled regarding alleged clashes with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson about the trajectory of her character, Kat.
Now, Barbie is clearing the air about what really led to her departure.
In an interview for Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Barbie said that her departure from Euphoria was largely due to the fact that Kat had no real direction as a character.
“I don’t think there was a place for her to go,” she said. “I think there were places she could have gone. I just don’t think it would have fit into the show.”
“I don’t know if it was going to do her justice,” she said, “and I think both parties knew that I really wanted to be able to not be the fat best friend. I don’t want to play that, and I think they didn’t want that either.”
Barbie also responded to rumors of on-set drama: “When people ask me about Season 2, it’s usually they come at me with, like, I was some sort of victim to Season 2, and I’m always like, ‘No, it’s okay, promise.'”
“It’s good. I actually did not walk off set. I did sprain my ankle once and had to go get an X-ray. Maybe that’s what they mean?”
Barbie also said that it was a “struggle” to figure out good storylines for Kat as Euphoria‘s second season was in production. “It was a struggle to find the continuation of her,” she said. “So that was actually really hurtful watching it and seeing the fans get upset.”
“Sam writes for, like, things that he relates to. I don’t think he relates to Kat. I like Kat, so I get to go on my own path.”
Barbie revealed that, when she first decided to leave the show, she felt some ambivalence about her decision. “At first, I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m a flop. I’m a loser,'” she said, before stating that leaving Euphoria has actually been “a good thing.”
“I just felt like, maybe it’s like I overstayed my welcome a little bit?” she said. “So, for me, I actually felt good to be like, ‘Okay, I get to not worry about this and we both don’t get too worried about this,’ because it’s exhausting.”
Listen to the entire interview here.