Actress Hunter Schafer has publicly shared for the first time that she underwent gender-affirming bottom surgery late last year, calling the procedure life-changing and affirming.
In an interview published Monday by Elle magazine, the 27-year-old “Euphoria” star revealed that the operation took place in December 2025. Schafer, who began her transition at age 14, praised the outcome of the surgery and discussed the lengthy journey that led her to pursue it.
“I just had bottom surgery in December, which was amazing, and I love it so much,” Schafer told the magazine, according to coverage by Variety and Rolling Stone.
Reflecting on Identity and Transition
Bottom surgery, or genitourinary reconstruction, encompasses procedures that reconstruct an individual’s genitals to align with their gender identity. While Schafer previously embraced a more fluid interpretation of her gender, she noted that her perspective evolved over time.
“For a long time I’ve embraced the gender-expansive part of myself, and I really wanted to try to make that previous body work, because I thought there was something really cool and badass about it,” Schafer explained. She told Elle that she eventually confronted the reality of moving through daily life versus abstract theories of identity, explaining that medically transitioning offered the clarity she sought. “I’m a woman. I’m a girl,” she said.
Schafer described her recovery period during the early weeks of 2026 as physically demanding. To recuperate, she rented a spacious apartment where relatives and close friends came to assist her while medical instructions required her to remain lying flat.
“I think my limit was 150 steps per day, which is nothing,” Schafer said of the strict physical restrictions imposed by her doctors, according to Variety.
Navigating Stardom and Transgender Identity
Schafer rose to prominence after debuting as Jules Vaughn on HBO’s hit teen drama “Euphoria.” While her visibility made her a prominent public figure within the LGBTQ+ community, she has spoken candidly about resisting efforts to define her career solely by her gender identity.
In an interview with GQ in 2024, Schafer noted that she deliberately turned down several transgender roles to avoid being typecast. “It took a while to learn that and it also took a while to learn that I don’t want to be [reduced to] that, and I find it ultimately demeaning to me and what I want to do,” she told GQ at the time, adding that she simply wanted to focus on working as an actress.
Her perspective on future projects has evolved slightly, however. In her latest remarks to Elle, the actress revealed she would welcome the opportunity to headline a romantic comedy featuring a transgender female lead, saying, “I would like to make that happen.”
Schafer has also encountered challenges stemming from changing federal policies. Last year, she publicly criticized an executive order by former President Donald Trump requiring identification documents to reflect sex assigned at birth, noting that her U.S. passport arrived with a male marker despite her submitting an application marked female. Schafer expressed frustration with the policy at the time, stating it created unnecessary complications for travelers while reaffirming that paperwork could never alter who she is, Rolling Stone reported.
Schafer’s professional calendar remains packed. Following appearances in the third season of “Euphoria” and the psychological thriller “Mother Mary,” she is scheduled to star alongside Michelle Yeoh in the Amazon miniseries “Blade Runner 2099,” which debuts in November.
