Who Is Hunter Schafer? Euphoria Star Takes the Lead in Blade Runner 2099

Hunter Schafer is preparing for one of the biggest roles of her career as she stars alongside Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh in Blade Runner 2099, the eagerly anticipated science-fiction series arriving on Prime Video on 25 November 2026.

Best known for playing Jules Vaughn in HBO's Euphoria, Schafer has become one of Hollywood's most recognisable young transgender actresses. Her latest role takes her into a futuristic world of replicants, artificial intelligence and human survival, with an ambitious eight-part series set 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049.

The American actress, model and artist has already established herself across television, cinema and fashion. Now, with her first leading television role and a demanding action performance, she is introducing herself to an even wider audience.

How did Hunter Schafer become famous?

Born in December 1998 in New Jersey, Schafer grew up in North Carolina and developed an early interest in fashion, drawing and visual art. Before becoming an actress, she worked as a model, appearing in major fashion campaigns and walking for internationally recognised designers.

She also became involved in LGBTQ+ activism as a teenager, challenging legislation in North Carolina that restricted transgender people's access to public facilities. Her involvement in the legal challenge helped establish her as a visible young advocate for transgender rights before her acting career began.

Her breakthrough arrived in 2019 when she was cast as Jules Vaughn in HBO's Euphoria, alongside Zendaya, who plays Rue Bennett.

Jules quickly became one of the programme's most recognisable characters, with her relationship with Rue forming an important part of the drama. Schafer's performance explored friendship, love, identity and the difficulties of growing up, bringing her international recognition.

She also contributed creatively to the series, co-writing a special episode focused on Jules with creator Sam Levinson. The experience demonstrated her interest in storytelling beyond acting and gave her an opportunity to help develop the character she had brought to life.

What else has Hunter Schafer appeared in?

Following her success in Euphoria, Schafer expanded her film career with a role in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, playing Tigris Snow, the cousin and confidante of a young Coriolanus Snow.

She subsequently took the leading role in the 2024 psychological horror film Cuckoo, playing Gretchen, a teenager who encounters disturbing events while staying at a resort in the German Alps. The performance gave Schafer an opportunity to carry a film in a very different genre from the television drama that made her famous.

Her growing film career has also included Mother Mary, the musical drama starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel. Schafer plays Hilda, an assistant caught up in the complicated relationships surrounding a famous musician.

Outside acting, she continues to pursue fashion and visual art, particularly painting. These creative interests have remained important to her even as her television and film commitments have grown.

Who does Hunter Schafer play in Blade Runner 2099?

Schafer plays Cora, a fugitive attempting to survive in a transformed Los Angeles where replicants have become increasingly influential.

Unlike the artificial humans traditionally associated with the franchise, Cora is human. She adopts the identity of a replicant Blade Runner while attempting to escape her past, placing herself in a dangerous position within a society where the distinction between humans and their creations carries enormous consequences.

Her story becomes connected to Olwen, played by Michelle Yeoh, a replicant approaching the end of her life. The two are forced to work together to track down a runaway whose secrets could threaten the fragile future of their city.

The series is set in 2099, half a century after Blade Runner 2049, and introduces new central characters rather than simply revisiting the stories of Rick Deckard or Officer K.

Silka Luisa, known for Shining Girls, serves as showrunner, while original Blade Runner director Ridley Scott is among the executive producers.

What was it like working with Michelle Yeoh?

Taking on Blade Runner 2099 presented Schafer with one of the most physically demanding acting experiences of her career.

In an October 2026 interview, she described how Yeoh helped her develop the techniques needed for action sequences, particularly learning how to fall safely during stunt work.

Schafer had relatively little action experience before joining the production, while Yeoh brought decades of martial arts and action-film expertise from productions including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The two actresses developed a close working relationship, with Yeoh helping Schafer understand how to use her body more effectively during physically demanding scenes.

Schafer has spoken positively about discovering a new side of acting through action work, explaining that the physical demands helped her become more confident and comfortable with performing.

Why is Hunter Schafer important to LGBTQ+ representation?

Schafer has become a prominent figure in LGBTQ+ entertainment, particularly through her visibility as a transgender actress playing substantial roles in major productions.

Her portrayal of Jules in Euphoria introduced a transgender character whose experiences extended far beyond her gender identity. The character's friendships, relationships and personal struggles were central to the programme, allowing audiences to connect with her as a fully developed person.

Schafer has also spoken about her own experiences growing up transgender and the importance of having opportunities to explore identity through art and storytelling.

Her move into science fiction with Blade Runner 2099 represents another significant development in her career. Rather than being limited to stories specifically about transgender experiences, she is taking on a major action role within an established Hollywood franchise.

With fashion, film, television and visual art all contributing to her career, Schafer continues to demonstrate the range of opportunities available to a new generation of LGBTQ+ performers.

When can UK viewers watch Blade Runner 2099?

All eight episodes of Blade Runner 2099 will be released on Prime Video on Wednesday 25 November 2026, with the complete series available to stream from launch.

For viewers discovering the franchise for the first time, the original Blade Runner film from 1982 and its 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049, provide the background to the futuristic world explored in the new series.

With Schafer and Yeoh leading the cast, Blade Runner 2099 offers a new chapter in one of science fiction's most influential franchises while giving Schafer an opportunity to establish herself as a leading action performer.

Where to watch

Blade Runner 2099 premieres exclusively on Prime Video in the UK on 25 November 2026, with all eight episodes available from launch. Euphoria is available on Sky and NOW, subject to current streaming availability.