‘Euphoria’ Star Hunter Schafer Opens Up About Her Gender-Affirming Surgery in a Candid New Interview
Hunter Schafer has spent much of her career balancing a very public profile with a fiercely private personal life. Since breaking out as Jules Vaughn in HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, the actress, model, and activist has become one of the most visible transgender performers in Hollywood, all while choosing carefully what she shares with the world.
Her advocacy began long before fame. While still in high school, she protested against laws restricting public bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth, and in 2017, Teen Vogue named her one of 21 young people under 21 changing the world.
Now, Schafer has shared a deeply personal update she had kept private until recently. In an interview for the November issue of Elle, the ‘Euphoria’ star revealed that she underwent gender-affirming bottom surgery in December 2025.
She explained that she decided to open up because it felt connected to a broader idea she had been discussing: the tension between the philosophical side of queerness and everyday reality. Schafer described the surgery as an amazing experience and said she absolutely loves the results.
The conversation also touched on how her understanding of her own identity has evolved over the years. During the interview, she stated plainly that she is a girl, reflecting on her journey with clarity and confidence. Schafer also offered a glimpse into the weeks that followed the procedure.
During her recovery in early 2026, she stayed in a rented apartment, supported by friends and family. The disclosure marks a rare moment of public openness about her gender-affirming care. Supporters online have praised her for speaking candidly, particularly given how much scrutiny trans public figures often face.
hunter schafer at the 6th annual academy museum gala. https://t.co/7cIi0KjFv4
— 21 (@21metgala) October 18, 2026
The revelation comes during a year of major change for the actress. ‘Euphoria’ returned for its third and final season in April 2026, and the series wrapped on May 31, 7 years after it first premiered in 2019, with HBO confirming the show had ended.
Schafer has previously admitted that her acting career still feels surreal. Speaking with U.S. Vogue earlier this year, she said acting was never a career she had planned and that she still occasionally wonders whether her run of luck will continue.
If her upcoming projects are any indication, her career is only gaining momentum. Schafer stars in the science fiction series ‘Blade Runner 2099’ alongside Michelle Yeoh, with the show’s trailer released earlier this summer.
She is also set to appear in ‘Mother Mary’ with Anne Hathaway and in Tom Ford’s ‘Cry to Heaven’, an adaptation of Anne Rice’s 18th-century opera novel. Beyond those, she has an A24 horror film with Emma Corrin, the surreal drama ‘Fish’ with Tim Roth and the horror thriller ‘Palette’ with Noomi Rapace.
Hunter Schafer arrives at the #AcademyMuseumGala https://t.co/rjG27x48AO
— Variety (@Variety) October 18, 2026
Schafer’s public profile remains as strong as ever. Just days before the interview made headlines, she attended the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, where she and makeup artist Sandy Ganzer added a last-minute splash of mint to her eye makeup. Her fashion work continues alongside acting, too. She has served as a face of Mugler’s Angel Elixir fragrance and continues to appear in campaigns for Prada.
By choosing to share this chapter on her own terms, Schafer has added another layer to a career already defined by representation and authenticity. For many fans, her honesty offers both visibility and reassurance at a time when conversations about trans healthcare remain deeply polarized.
What do you think of Hunter Schafer’s decision to share her personal journey in her new ‘Elle’ interview?
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