It's been a sad last few days for the entertainment industry in light of the news that both legendary comic and actor Paul Reubens and rising star Angus Cloud have passed away. While Reubens was certainly a legend, Angus Cloud's death was almost more jarring in a way since the actor was just 25 at the time. A breakout star from the hit show, Euphoria, Cloud had only just buried his father a week before. Reportedly dealing with the loss of his dad, and struggling with mental issues himself, Cloud's death has shocked his family, friends, and fans around the world.
Prior to his death, he had already wrapped filming on three new films, including an upcoming Universal Pictures monster flick. Cloud was certainly a rising star who appeared to have a successful and lucrative career ahead. As Fezco "Fez" O'Neill, he had a cult following and was a fan-favorite of Euphoria. As we remember this talented young star, lost in the prime of his life, here's a look back at Angus Cloud's best moments as Fezco.
10 Confrontation With Cal
Angus Cloud's rise to pop culture stardom reads like a fairytale. Working an ordinary job, he was reputedly spotted by a scout for the show and thrust into the spotlight. Despite having never acted before, Angus was remarkably poised and did a great job of portraying the intricate character, Fez, on Euphoria. Hailed as a controversial but brilliant show, Euphoria has earned a ton of prestigious award nominations and wins, including Emmys.
Despite his seemingly rough and one-dimensional exterior as a drug dealer, Fezco often proves to be one of the most layered and tragic characters. In this memorable scene, Fezco and his brother become embroiled in a convoluted issue with the show's villain, Nate, and his complicated father, Cal. When the brothers have Cal at their mercy, Fezco instead chooses to try and unravel the issues at play. Rather than going down a violent route like it seemed, Fezco's willingness to listen turns it comical. When he confronts Cal, he winds up helping him unpack his either gay, bisexual, or bi-curious love life instead.
9 Letting Rue In
As the lead character and the show's narrator, Ruby "Rue" Bennett is one complex person. Portrayed by Zendaya, who does an amazing job, as her numerous awards for the role prove, Rue and Fez are friends of an unconventional nature. Despite her addiction and mental health issues and him being a drug dealer, the pair work as friends, mostly because Fez actually has a heart and tries to look out for her, rather than just exploiting her habit.
In a memorable scene, Rue suddenly bursts into Fezco's place and goes straight to the bathroom to throw up. His willingness to first believe the best in people, despite his own tragic history, is plain to see here. Rather than being enraged at her intrusion, he offers her some Pepto instead since he thinks she has tummy problems. Of course, her true intentions with the whole thing was to create a diversion for her nefarious aims. However, its Fez's trusting side that enables it to happen.
8 Friendship With Rue
Even though Rue is a struggling addict with all kinds of other personal issues, Fez still treats her kindly. One of his most endearing qualities is often what made the character so likable. While it would be easy to see him as a villain since he's a drug dealer, there's a lot more to Fez than what you see on the surface.
These deeper sides to him were often on show in the best of ways through his friendship with Rue. Fez is known for being a man of few words, but he's also unafraid to keep it real and freely express himself when the occasion calls for it. While he has soft and more tender moments with Rue, he also proves a true friend by telling it to her like it is whenever she needs a reality check.
7 Stand by Me Moment
Season 2 of Euphoria was just as acclaimed as its first season. However, that didn't make it a happy show. In fact, a lot of the second season's plot could be described as downright depressing. However, amid all the misery came a pretty cool subplot.
Lexi, Rue's childhood friend, seemed an unlikely romantic interest for Fez, yet there is clear chemistry between them after the meeting. One of the sweetest moments between them comes as they spend some time together sharing a joint and watching Stand by Me. The intrigue between them is palpable and Fez's character development continues to blossom as a result.
6 Telling it Straight
Fezco's friendship with Rue was often best characterized by him looking out for her. Though he didn't need to, he always tried to make decisions in her best interests, even if she could never see it that way in those moments. Two prime examples of this came when Fez got tough with Rue. In the process, he managed to set some clear boundaries with her.
On one occasion, after helping her, they share a car together where he lambasts her for her behavior, making it clear why she was wrong. In another, Rue comes to him with a dangerous business plan, seeing only the upside. Luckily, Fez quickly brings her back to Earth by blankly refusing to go along with it.
5 His Quiet Way
Fez's personality can understandably make him seem a little boring or simple at times. However, his soft-spoken, drawling tone, and brevity when he speaks are also what made him most endearing to viewers.
Unfortunately, art imitates life, and in Angus Cloud's case, his character seems to now reflect the actor's own vulnerability too. Here's a little of what Rolling Stone had to say in a tribute piece to both Angus and Fezco.
"The second he fixed those eyes on the troubled Rue (Zendaya) in their first scenes together, you knew this was a person who contained multitudes, who was capable of heart-shattering acts of kindness and extreme acts of rage. You knew this was a person who you’d do anything to save from themselves.
In this memorable introductory scene, Fez explains to Rue that a new girl has come to town since she's been away. He asks how Rue's doing, and she typically responds in a sarcastic manner.
However, Fez's underlying innocence and unassuming nature make him believe her sarcasm for a moment. Moments like these provided the template for why he was so good-natured, while later episodes unraveled how he came to be a dealer, and added a lot more depth to his character.
4 Threatening Nate
Fez's quiet and seemingly simpleton nature never meant he was just a big old softy though. His line of work and the way he took care of business often showed that he was tough and not to be messed with too. Throughout the show, antagonist Nate constantly harasses Rue and Jules. In a show that already featured controversial themes like addiction, suicide, mental health problems, and teenage promiscuity, this angle added to the unrestrained nature of the show.
Fez sticks up for them and eventually warns Nate. While Nate is a complicated character himself, he was always seen as a villainous one who needed to be taught a lesson. At the back end of the first season, Fez confronts him and straight up threatens to hurt him if he doesn't leave the girls alone. This was a great show of Fez's darker side and also set the tone up wonderfully for what was to come in the second season.
3 "Fexi"
When Fezco first meets Lexi at a party, everything about each of them before this point seems to indicate they are polar opposites. While they are, Fez again unexpectedly shows his depth as he actually engages with her in a sweet way, and even flirts in his own drawling style.
Regardless of his execution, his words are effective as he definitely catches her attention too. Between his sweet words and soft manner as they share a couch, the seeds of their bond are planted. Fans hoping to see them united would affectionately go on to term them "Fexi" after this moment.
2 Following Through
After Season 1 ended with Fez threatening Nate, by the second season, we see them together again at the same party where Fez would also hang out with Lexi. The tension between them appears to have dissipated, or so it seemed.
After seeming to squash the incident, in a flash, Fez breaks a bottle over Nate's head and proves that what he said wasn't just a threat. This is a great moment for fans since Nate has been such an unlikable character all along. Seeing him finally get what he deserved made for one of Fez's best moments on the show.
1 Turning Rue Away
The main premise of Euphoria starts with Rue's return to town after a stint in rehab. Her first stop is to see Fez, underscoring both their friendship and her dependency on him. However, later on, we see just how different Fez is. When Rue tries to score off him, he sympathizes with all the pain she's going through but refuses to sell her drugs for her own good.
This one scene pretty much sums up everything about why fans loved Fez. Though he was a dealer, he still had a heart and was capable of some astounding moments of deep compassion. This was also why Zendaya and Angus Cloud played well off each other too, their friendship on-screen punctuated by the fact that the actors were once classmates too. Of course, this now all makes these scenes that much more poignant, and Angus' death that much more tragic.