Hunter Schafer has revealed that she underwent gender-affirming bottom surgery in December 2025.
The 27-year-old Euphoria actress shared the news with writer Lotte Jeffs in her ELLE cover interview, published Oct. 19 for the magazine’s November issue.
“I love it so much,” Schafer said, describing the experience as “amazing.”
The disclosure came as her conversation with Jeffs moved from a London park to a nearby hotel. Their discussion covered her understanding of queerness, her family and her growing career.
Why Schafer Decided to Have Surgery
Schafer said she had spent years embracing the gender-expansive parts of herself and trying to feel comfortable in her body. She saw value in that approach and wanted it to work for her.
Over time, she found it difficult to reconcile those ideas with how she wanted to live. Her decision reflected the difference between an expansive understanding of gender and the choices that suited her personally.
She continued to describe queerness as a space for possibility, growth and self-discovery, while offering a direct description of her own identity: “I’m a woman. I’m a girl.”
Family and Friends Visited During Her Recovery
At the beginning of 2026, Schafer rented a large apartment where she could rest and have loved ones visit during her recovery. Her family and close friends were the people who knew about the procedure before she discussed it publicly.
She recalled being limited to approximately 150 steps a day, according to PEOPLE. Her account described the practical arrangements she made for that period, without identifying the specific operation she underwent.
She Has Also Been Adjusting to Life in the Public Eye
Schafer told ELLE that the speed of her rise to fame had made her early twenties difficult. She described initially resisting her changed circumstances and said she was becoming more comfortable with the life her career had brought her.
She credited Euphoria costar Zendaya with helping her navigate celebrity while keeping her private life separate. Looking back at joining the show, Schafer remembered being deeply introverted and uncertain about performing in front of others. Acting had gradually made her less guarded.
‘Blade Runner 2099’ Gives Schafer Her First Television Lead
Schafer plays Cora, a human who poses as a replicant Blade Runner to survive. The character appealed to her because the franchise explores questions about bodies, identity and humanity that she had considered in her own life.
Set 50 years after Blade Runner 2049, the series pairs Cora with Olwen, a replicant played by Michelle Yeoh who has only days left to live. Their pursuit of a runaway draws them into a secret that threatens Los Angeles.
The role required extensive physical work. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Schafer described repeated running and jumping as a major adjustment to her daily routine. Yeoh worked with the stunt coordinator to preserve Schafer’s distinctive way of moving, and regularly reminded her to protect her elbows and knees.
Schafer separately told ELLE that Yeoh taught her how to distribute her weight during a fall, after watching her land awkwardly. She described the veteran action star as a mentor who helped introduce her to that side of filmmaking.
Yeoh also told EW that she gave Schafer a protective helmet because she was concerned about her hitting her head during the action work.
The limited series comes from showrunner Silka Luisa, with original Blade Runner director Ridley Scott serving as an executive producer. Amazon confirms that all eight episodes of Blade Runner 2099 will premiere on Prime Video on Nov. 25.