Actor Angus Cloud, has died at the age of 25. His family have shared their loss, revealing that Cloud, who rose to fame as the charismatic ‘Fezco’ in hit show Euphoria had “intensely struggled” following the recent loss of his father.
Cloud passed away in his family’s home in Oakland, California.
A week after the world was shaken by news of Cloud’s passing, his mother took to social media to break her silence.
In an emotional Facebook post, Lisa Cloud wrote, “Friends, I want you all to know I appreciate your love for my family at this shattered time.”
She went on to denounce speculation that the young actor took his own life.
“I also want you to know that although my son was in deep grief about his father’s untimely death from mesothelioma [a rare and aggressive cancer of the tissue], his last day was a joyful one.”
She added that, before his death, Cloud had been “reorganising his room and placing items around the house with intent to stay a while in the home he loved”, and had also promised to support his family financially.
“He did not intend to end his life,” she wrote. “When we hugged goodnight we said how much we loved each other and he said he would see me in the morning.”
Reiterating her point, Cloud’s mother wrote, “It’s abundantly clear that he did not intend to check out of this world,” and, “Social media posts have suggested his death was intentional. I want you to know that is not the case.”
News of Cloud’s death was initially confirmed via his family to TMZ, revealing that the star had only attended his father’s funeral a week before his passing.
“It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways,” they said in a statement.
“Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend.
“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.”
Fans of Euphoria were amazed by Cloud’s dedicated portrayal of Fezco in the show, given that he had no acting training before this breakout role.
He was discovered on the street by a casting agent before being drafted for the role. His comedic, upbeat character accrued fans quickly, who were dedicated to celebrating the rising star’s meteoric rise.
How Did Angus Cloud Die?
More than a month after news broke of the actor’s tragic passing, the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau has announced that Cloud’s death was caused by accute intoxication following an accidental overdose, per The New York Times.
According to the coroner’s office, Cloud had a mix of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines in his system at the time of his death.
Angus Cloud’s Mother Responds To Coroner’s Ruling
In the aftermath of the coroner’s ruling Angus Cloud’s mum, Lisa (who calls him Conor, which is actually his birth name), told People of the moment she discovered her son had passed.
“I started shaking him and screaming. I pushed him hard, and he fell on the floor. I tried to resuscitate him — mouth to mouth — and I was compressing him,” she says, sobbing. “I was screaming for my neighbour because I didn’t want to leave him and call 911, and I just kept at it until they took him away.
“I miss him so much. He was the love of my life,” she added.
Lisa explained that the combination of depressant drugs Cloud had ingested had slowed “his heart and show[ed] his breathing.”
“He got tired from lack of oxygen. Everything just slowed down, and eventually his heart stopped and he went to sleep. But he didn’t kill himself.”
She also shared his final words to her before he passed away. “I love you, mama. You’re the best,” he said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
People also spoke to Cloud’s co-star on Euphoria, Zendaya.
“He felt like a little brother instantly; ironic because we played characters with the exact opposite dynamic,” she told them. “I’m lucky because I got to experience the most beautiful parts of him. I got to watch him create and I got to watch him discover the fact that he was an actor. A damn good one at that, and as many times as I would tell him or compliment his performance, I don’t think he ever truly believed it.”
Sam Levinson Was Helping Cloud Get Clean Before His Passing
Also speaking to People, Euphoria director Sam Levinson explained how he told Cloud’s mother of his drug use and tried to help him get clean.
“I looked him in the eye and I knew that he wasn’t doing well,” Levinson explained. “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.'”
HBO paid for a 30-day stint of in-patient rehab and Cloud continued as an outpatient for a further three months. Midway through filming the next season Cloud fell into drug use again, so after wrapping the fifth episode, Levinson and his wife drove him to rehab again. He was wearing Rue’s red sweater for the car journey, and the full-circle of the Euphoria storyline (where Rue is a drug addict trying to get clean) wasn’t lost on them.
“Oh, s—, I feel just like Rue,” Levinson remembers Cloud saying. “All right, well, do us a favor and don’t run,” he replied.
While Cloud’s mother Lisa attributes a head injury when he was 15 to his initial use of pain medication, she admits that a further injury during the pandemic and then his father’s death did not help matters.
“He absolutely loved his father,” Lisa said. “He also knew he really loved him. He was so proud of Angus. My son thought of Pops as his best friend. There is no doubt that his father’s death took a toll on him.”
If you or someone you know needs help you can call Lifeline on 131 114 or Beyondblue 1300 224 636.
This story was originally published on elle.com.au and is republished here with permission.
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