Angus Cloud: Euphoria actor who played 'Fez' dead aged 25
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Angus Cloud, who starred on HBO's hit series Euphoria, has died aged 25.
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Cloud, who played drug dealer Fezco "Fez" O'Neill on the teen drama, died on Monday at his family home in Oakland, California, said a publicist.
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"It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today," said the Cloud family.
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Cloud attended his father's funeral in Ireland last week and, according to his family, "intensely struggled with this loss".
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There was some comfort in knowing he was now "reunited with his dad, who was his best friend", they said in a statement.
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"Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence," it said.
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"We hope the world remembers him for his humour, laughter and love for everyone."
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Two weeks ago, Cloud posted a photo of his father on Instagram and wrote: "miss u breh."
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His cause of death has not been confirmed.
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Cloud had minor acting credits in two films, North Hollywood and The Line. He had also appeared in music videos for artists including Becky G, Karol G and Juice WRLD.
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But his career really took off after he won the part of Fez, a high school drug dealer in Euphoria.
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The role turned Cloud into a breakout star, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and his character was expanded in the second season.
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In an interview with Variety last year, Cloud said he was bothered by fan comparisons to his on-screen character.
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"It's not that simple," he said. "I brought a lot to the character."
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As a teenager, he suffered a traumatic brain injury, which is partially responsible for his slow-paced voice on the show.
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According to a 2019 interview with GQ, Cloud had no real aspirations to become a star, or even an actor.
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He used to work at a chicken and waffle joint, according to the magazine, and one day was unexpectedly stopped in the street by an agent from a casting company.
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"I was confused and I didn't want to give her my phone number," Cloud told GQ. "I thought it was a scam."
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After first airing in June 2019, Euphoria quickly became a hit and by 2022 was the most tweeted-about TV show of the decade in the US.
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The main character, played by Zendaya, is a 17-year-old who struggles with drug abuse, seen on screen taking the deadly opioid fentanyl and injecting morphine.
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In 2022, Cloud defended accusations during an interview with TMZ that the show glorified drug use.
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Euphoria creator Sam Levinson said: "There was no one quite like Angus. He was too special, too talented and way too young to leave us so soon."
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Sydney Martin, the model who was rumoured to be in an on-off relationship with Cloud, shared broken heart emojis on Instagram after his death was announced.
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Cloud's co-star Javon "Wanna" Walton, known in the show as Cloud's adoptive brother, Ashtray, wrote on Instagram: "Rest easy brother."
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California congresswoman Barbara Lee lamented the loss of "Oakland's own", in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter,
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"His immense talent touched the lives of countless people. His work & legacy will forever live on and make Oakland proud," she wrote.
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Actress Kerry Washington also posted on the platform: "You will be deeply missed. Rest in power."
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Cloud was immensely talented and a beloved part of the Euphoria family, HBO said in a statement.
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Drenon, B. B. (2023, August 1). Angus Cloud: Euphoria actor who played âFezâ dead aged 25. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66333376