‘Euphoria’ Breakout Star Angus Cloud Says He’s Not the Same as Fez Despite What Fans Think: ‘It Does Bother Me’
Euphoria is one of the biggest shows on TV for many reasons, and Angus Cloud’s performance as Fez is one of them. Cloud’s perpetually laidback attitude stands out on a show where teen emotions are heightened to the point of absurdity.
The 24-year-old is a fan favorite. But one of the downsides to having a signature role so early in one’s career is that people struggle to differentiate between the character and actor. Cloud has experienced this many times and voiced his frustration with the situation in a recent interview.
Cloud was plucked from obscurity to join ‘Euphoria’
Cloud attended Oakland School for the Arts at the same time as his future co-star Zendaya. At the time, the Oakland native focused on production, and their trajectories before Euphoria couldn’t have been more different. Before the show, Cloud was just another Waffle House employee living in New York. Casting scout Eléonore Hendricks spotted him. He auditioned and eventually earned the role of Fez.
“They were asking me weird questions, like, what’s the funnest thing I ever did. It’s hard to answer. I do a lot of fun stuff,” Cloud said in a Variety feature.
Fez quickly earned the support of the fan base as Rue’s drug dealer who still looks out for her and other characters while participating in criminal activities. He was supposed to die during Season 1. But Cloud’s energy became crucial to the show, and the story was rewritten to keep him around.
Angus Cloud gets annoyed when fans assume he and Fez are the same person
Cloud’s natural personality and life experiences influence the Fez we see in Euphoria. Both men are generally stoic. The show’s writer and creator Sam Levinson even incorporated Cloud’s scar into the character. But the actor bristles at the idea that becoming Fez doesn’t require any work.
“It does bother me when people are like, ‘It must be so easy! You get to go in and be yourself,'” Cloud says. “I’m like, ‘Why don’t you go and do that?’ It’s not that simple. I brought a lot to the character. You can believe what you want. It ain’t got nothing to do with me.”
Levinson is well-known for rewriting scripts at the last minute, making for a chaotic set at the best of times. The improvisational nature of the production also leads to long filming days. Cloud claims filming Euphoria can run from 10 to 16 hours per day and that the show takes more out of him than his former day job did.
Some fans see the glamour of the entertainment industry and don’t think about these creative ventures require extensive time to do successfully. Cloud can’t just roll out of bed and portray Fez to the level that makes him so beloved. “People think, ‘Oh, he just shows up. He’s just this lazy stoner,'” says casting director Jennifer Venditti. “Angus doesn’t get enough credit.”
Cloud continues to advance his acting career, but his identity is not wrapped up in it
Cloud is beginning to showcase his talent in other projects. He made his film debut in 2021’s North Hollywood and is filming two more movies this year. Cloud will star in One Lucky Day written and directed by first-time filmmaker Dan Brown. IMDb describes it as a thriller set on Christmas Eve involving a hostage situation and a winning lottery ticket. He will also appear in The Line. Cloud describes the movie to Variety as a “frat movie” where he will stretch his voice in new ways.
“They wanted me to sound like I was damn near from the South or something,” Cloud said. “I hope I did a good job. I ain’t try’na be no one-trick pony. But if I did s–t, then it is what it is. I don’t know how to act. I’m in rooms with people that have been acting their whole life, and I’m like, ‘Why am I here?’ I got impostor-type s–t.”
Despite his anxiety about not performing up to his standards, Cloud is nonplussed about his future in the business. “I didn’t spend my whole life trying to be an actor, so I’m not finna be devastated if I didn’t do a good job on some s–t where I have no idea what the f–k I’m doing,” he said before breaking out into laughter. “It’s not like I f–ked my whole life up. Y’all hired me!”
Cloud fantasizes about the other paths his life could take in the future. “There’s plenty of other stuff I could see myself doing. Buy a boat. Find an island. Post up in a tent. See what happens next.”
