Nika King isn't letting the ups and downs of her HBO show's filming schedule get her down -- 'cause even though she says she's struggling ... she's also out here hustlin'.

The 'Euphoria' star did an interview with a pap Thursday in Fort Lauderdale, just outside her Blue Tree Cafe ... where she remained relatively tight-lipped about the bombshells she dropped earlier in the week -- namely, that the delay for Season 3 was hurting her.

The only thing she could really say on the matter was that she wasn't sure what the holdup was -- but she also seemed to be telegraphing that she's doing just fine, or so it seems.

She also says that despite the challenges she's faced, she's been busy working hard and making ends meet with the jobs she does have as a stand-up comic and at her café -- even encouraging the photog to come inside and place an order.

As we reported ... Nika plays Zendaya's on-screen mom on "Euphoria," but filming for the third season has hit some snags -- which she said has affected her ability to pay rent for the last 6 months. Nika also said she hadn't been hired for anything after "Euphoria."

Season two of "Euphoria" aired ages ago in 2022, but filming for the next one has been dragging ... mainly due to the writers' strikes and the sad passing of Angus Cloud.

On top of that, Zendaya's been booked and busy -- specifically, on her 'Dune 2' press run.