Angus Cloud’s unlikely journey from waiter to celebrated actor

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — There’s a viral video of actor Angus Cloud that almost went unnoticed.

The “Euphoria” star, who died Monday at age 25, had been working as a waiter in Brooklyn back in 2018 when a woman named Darleen Justance visited a brunch spot for a birthday celebration with friends.

When video from their gathering popped up on her friend’s Snapchat memories four years later, Justance told NBC that her friend recognized Cloud among the restaurant’s staff.

“She was like, ‘Oh my god, that’s Fez,’” Justance recalled.

By that time, Cloud had gained widespread acclaim for his portrayal of the kindhearted dealer Fezco on the HBO drama. (CNN and HBO share a parent company).

But by his own account, Cloud was never seeking fame.

“The difference between me and everyone else who’s famous it’s that they were trying to go get famous, for the most part,” he told iD earlier this year. “They were working hard, and they were like, ‘I’m going to make it to the top’. For me, it was just like too good of an opportunity to say no to. I had no idea it would go this far.”

And he did go far.

Cloud was discovered on the street in New York City by casting director Eléonore Hendricks, which eventually led to him being cast on “Euphoria.”

He took to the role so well that some viewers believed he wasn’t even acting.

“It does bother me when people are like, ‘It must be so easy! You get to go in and be yourself,’” he told Variety last year. “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.”

Even “Euphoria” casting director Jennifer Venditti didn’t like people assuming Cloud was just like his character.

“It bothers me,” she told Variety. “People just think, ‘Oh, he just shows up. He’s just this lazy stoner.’ Like, no.”

Part of the reason may have been because Cloud’s distinct cadence was the same in character and out, and the scar on his head that was visible in scenes from the show was real.

Both were a result of the Oakland, California, native’s traumatic brain injury he suffered after he fell at a construction site as a teen.

Cloud was beloved by fans of the provocative teen drama.

In early 2022, he told GQ his character wasn’t even supposed to make it beyond the first season.

“I don’t know, but apparently, because they cast me off the street, I guess the character of Fezco was [never meant to stick around]. I don’t even know how,” he told the publication. “I never saw that script. No one ever told me. It was one day when we were filming the pilot that I think Jacob (Elordi) told me, he was like, ‘Oh yeah, you didn’t know? Your character gets [imitates being shot].”

“And yeah, it never ended up happening. I think that they liked what I did and so they decided to keep me alive and let me rock,” he added. “I don’t know how I was going out, but hopefully I would’ve gone out like a G.”

The first-time actor seemed to enjoy the work, but his visibility not so much.

“I don’t like people noticing me on the street,” he told iD, “I’m really paranoid. I feel like I’m always looking over my shoulder. I do always show love to people who approach me, but some people just run up and just shove their phone in my face. Dude, I’m not a clown at a carnival.”

Viewers and friends alike mourned the passing of the unlikely star.

“There was no one quite like Angus. He was too special, too talented and way too young to leave us so soon,” “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson said in a statement to Deadline.” “He also struggled, like many of us, with addiction and depression. I hope he knew how many hearts he touched. I loved him. I always will. Rest in peace and God Bless his family.”

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