“Euphoria” Season 3 episode 8 included a tribute to the late Angus Cloud using never-before-seen footage of the actor, according to creator Sam Levinson. The finale featured test footage shot in 2019 during the show’s first season, showing Cloud and Zendaya together in a grassy field, smiling and holding beers as their characters, Fezco “Fez” O’Neill and Rue Bennett, looked into the distance.
Levinson said the unused footage was added to give viewers another moment with Cloud and to highlight the bond between Fez and Rue, one of the show’s most emotional relationships. He explained that he chose to keep Fezco alive in the story by placing the character in prison, allowing Fez to remain present in the season even though Cloud was no longer able to film new scenes.
The tribute appears during a key sequence in which Zendaya’s character Rue takes fentanyl-laced pills given to her by Alamo Brown, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and later experiences a devastating overdose and death sequence. The flashback to Fezco arrives as part of Rue’s final moments, adding emotional weight to the scene and linking the memory of their friendship to the episode’s larger themes of addiction and loss.
Cloud’s inclusion carries added significance because the actor died on July 31, 2023, at age 25, from an accidental fentanyl overdose. Levinson said the season was meant to confront fentanyl and the way it destroys young lives, denying people the chance to recover from a single mistake. He described the tribute as a way to honor Cloud while also reflecting the harsh reality of the drug crisis.
Levinson also revealed that the decision to use the archival footage was made only five days before the finale aired. He said he felt relief that the episode came together in a way he was proud of, though he admitted the emotional intensity of finishing the season left him feeling sad afterward.
Beyond the tribute, Levinson discussed Rue’s hallucination in the ending and said the scene was meant to show her moving back through her life and revisiting memories tied to Fezco and the convenience store where he worked. The sequence functions as both a farewell and a remembrance, reinforcing how deeply Fez and Rue were connected throughout the series.
Levinson did not rule out the possibility of a fourth season, saying he has approached each season as if it could be the last. For now, the finale stands as a somber and poignant moment in the series, honoring Angus Cloud’s legacy while tying his character’s presence to the story’s themes of grief, addiction, and second chances.
