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The season 3 premiere of Euphoria addressed the absence of Fez following the tragic offscreen death of actor Angus Cloud.
In the episode airing on Sunday, April 12, viewers saw Rue, played by Zendaya, having a conversation with Lexi, portrayed by Maude Apatow, about reaching out to Fez. It was revealed that Fez is now serving a 30-year prison sentence, a storyline stemming from the season 2 finale where his arrest seemed imminent.
Show creator Sam Levinson had previously discussed his intentions to honor Cloud’s character within the series.
“There are numerous scenes where characters are speaking to him on the phone,” Levinson shared with Variety at the season 3 premiere event on Tuesday, April 7, explaining how Fez remains integral to the show’s narrative.
Since its debut, Euphoria has undergone several cast changes both on and off the screen. The series, inspired by an Israeli show of the same name, centers around Rue, a high school student grappling with sobriety post-rehab. It delves into various themes such as mental health, toxic relationships, and sexuality.
He continued: “I thought that if I couldn’t keep him alive in life then maybe within this show that I can control and keep him alive there,” he added. “I think the whole thing was to honor him and also I can’t wait for you to see the last few episodes. I think he would be cracking up at his story line. I think he would love it.”
Cloud isn’t the only costar the Euphoria cast has lost. Eric Dane, who played Cal, died in February at age 53 after a battle with ALS.
“Some people ask why it took so long between seasons 2 and 3. There were obvious factors — the strikes, trying to make a schedule work with our very in-demand cast, but the real time was in trying to figure out how to find a way to pay respect to those who we lost,” Levinson said in a speech on Tuesday.
He continued: “When Angus died, it was tough. I loved him deeply, and I fought hard to keep him clean. The year he died, in 2023, he was one of 73,000 people in America who died of a fentanyl overdose. I learned a whole lot that year, but what I realized more than anything is that death is what gives life meaning. You can’t be arrogant about existence. You’re forced to reckon with the fact that life itself is a wonder, a gift, a profound blessing.”
Before his death, Cloud was candid about his struggles with mental health and addiction. Levinson recalled making several attempts to help the actor during his journey to stay sober.
The Euphoria cast and crew have mourned the deaths of some of their colleagues over the years. Euphoria, which premiered in 2019, originally followed troubled high school student Rue (Zendaya) as she struggled to remain sober after rehab. The hit HBO series was quickly renewed for a second season after its premiere, but it took […]
“I looked him in the eye and I knew that he wasn’t doing well,” Levinson told People in September 2023 about helping Angus enter a 30-day in-patient program. “At the same time, I’ve been in these situations before where you’re trying to get someone clean. And I just said to him, ‘I love working with you and we’ve got this amazing season planned and stuff, but I need you to be sober because I got to be able to rely on you.’”
Levinson was determined to support Cloud, noting, “I could always feel that he didn’t want [sobriety] as much as we all wanted it for him. That’s where it gets tricky because the whole world can want it for you. But he didn’t want it. It’s just the self-destructive side of addiction and it outweighs everything. But you can’t give up on people. I wasn’t going to let anyone give up on him.”
Euphoria airs on HBO Sundays at 9 p.m. ET
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).