Following the catastrophic event of COVID-19, Angus Cloud, a 25-year-old beloved actor renowned for his role as Fezco in the series Euphoria, tragically succumbed to suicide by overdose. Cloud accidentally ingested a lethal amount of drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and benzodiazepines. His untimely passing sent shockwaves through both the entertainment industry and the larger world. Writers also became angry at harsh working environments, including their experiences working on Euphoria. Under all of these horrendous circumstances, the future of the show and the creation of season 3 is attracting many conspiracies.
Since its debut in 2019, Euphoria has gained remarkable popularity and officially secured its place as the second most-watched show in all of HBO history, with 6.6 million viewers of the season 2 finale alone. Euphoria has built a community that loves to storm up theories, discuss the plot, and share memes together.
Angus Cloud’s role as Fezco was pivotal to the series, and his fellow cast members, including Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Javon Walton, Dominic Fike, and others, expressed their condolences to his family and fanbase on social media. However, even outside of the Euphoria world, Cloud was known to be very open and candid about his mental health struggles. His castmates joined in expressing their grief, echoing Zendaya’s sentiment that Cloud had a unique ability to brighten any room. It is clear just how sweet and genuine Angus Cloud was, and that he will be missed very much by both his castmates and his fanbase.
Cloud’s family was also deeply affected by his loss. His mother, Lisa Cloud, shared that she had never imagined that her son intended to “check out of this world” (take his own life). She shared that he was reorganizing his room and placing items around the house “with intent to stay a while in the home he loved.” He spoke of his intent to help provide for his sisters at college, and also to help his mom emotionally and financially. “He did not intend to end his life”, she said. “When we hugged goodnight we said how much we loved each other and he said he would see me in the morning…I don’t know if or what he may have put in his body after that. I only know that he put his head on the desk where he was working on art project’s, fell asleep and didn’t wake up.”
This tragedy compounded the family’s pain, as they were still grappling with the loss of another loved one, Conor Hickey, Angus Cloud’s father, who succumbed to mesothelioma cancer. This is also a factor that likely caused Cloud’s mental and emotional state to worsen.
The tragic loss of Angus Cloud was further complicated by a writers’ strike, which had a significant impact on the production of Euphoria. Although many of the show’s fans were longing for more episodes to watch every week, the strike resulted in a major production delay. Negotiations to end the strike were undertaken by O’Harris, the producer of Euphoria, who recognized the “delicate ecosystem” of the theater industry, especially in light of an impending strike at the Tony Awards.
Despite these obstacles, the Euphoria cast and producers’ series has remained optimistic. Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, has described the upcoming season as a “film noir”, sparking numerous fan theories due to the limited information available about the plot. However, Rue (Zendaya), is expected to take the lead in the new season, exploring the concept of maintaining one’s principles in a corrupt world.
Not all of the main cast are expected to return. Barbie Ferreira has decided to retire her character, Kat, as her screen time was “noticeably reduced” in season 2. She articulated her reasons on the Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard Podcast, expressing a desire to avoid being typecast as the “fat best friend.” She is not the only one who won’t be returning. Javon Walton will most likely receive little-to-no screen time in the upcoming season, due to his death in the season 2 finale as Ashtray.
Despite the challenges faced during the production of Euphoria’s third season, there is hope that it will be completed and ready for audiences by 2025.
