Spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of Euphoria, "Stand Still and See".
Sam Levinson's Euphoria is an Emmy-winning hit show that instantly joined the ranks of HBO shows that got the world talking after it premiered back in 2019. Those with an HBO Max subscription have been watching its long-awaited third season, which has been jam-packed full of surprises. I was thrilled when Rue's mother, Leslie (Nika King), finally appeared in Episode 6, but I can't believe how little they actually showed of her. Seriously, I'm floored.
Euphoria Season 3 has been largely worth the wait... even if it feels like a very different show than its predecessors. Throughout the series, Rue has made two one-sided phone calls to Leslie, and I assumed that King wouldn't get to appear. But Episode 6 proved me wrong... kind of.
I Can't Believe They Gave Leslie Just One Line In Episode 6
Rue has been trying to connect with her religious side throughout Season 3, and during the most recent episode, she visited a church. While sitting in a pew, she spoke to her mom on the phone and apologized for everything she put the family through over the years. Zendaya's performance was powerful (as always), and at the end of the conversation, I was shocked to see Leslie appear. While I was originally hyped for the character, who was a series regular in the first two seasons, I was disappointed when she got just ONE line of dialogue.
Nika King's performance in the first two seasons of Euphoria was truly remarkable, especially that explosive Season 2 episode "Stand Still Like the Hummingbird", where Leslie and Rue's issues finally boil over into an explosive confrontation. Zendaya won her second Emmy for this episode, and King's collaboration in their scenes is at least partly why it was so effective. So the fact that she was given one single line of dialogue in "Stand Still and See" felt like a slap in the face to the fandom who waited years before Season 3 to finally arrive.
What Actress Nika King Said About The Scene
Critical response to Euphoria Season 3 has been mixed, but what does the cast think? Nika King took to Instagram after learning she got just one line, in a reel where she said:
I jut watched my episode that I've been promoting all week. And my Mom over here clowning me. My Mama's clowning me. She said 'the internet waited all this time for me to just say one line.'
To be clear, she is laughing while making these comments. Mostly because King's mother is cracking her up with her response. You can check out the Instagram reel for yourself below:
A post shared by Nika King (@iamnikaking)
A photo posted by on
It remains to be seen if Rue's mother gets any more scenes in the final two episodes of Euphoria. Alamo did threaten her life in Episode 6, so maybe this is teasing that their family reunion is happening... and under duress. Only time will tell, but the stakes feel extremely high for the entire cast of leading characters.
Euphoria airs new episodes on Sundays on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed we see more of Leslie, because that cameo simply wasn't enough.
