Euphoria Season 3: Honoring Fez’s Story and Remembering Angus Cloud, Eric Dane, and Kevin Turen
The eagerly anticipated third season of Sam Levinson’s Euphoria premiered on a somber note, featuring an in memoriam card dedicated to the late actor Eric Dane. The card, which included Dane’s photograph and birth dates, paid homage similarly to a previous tribute for the late Angus Cloud by HBO Max.
The premiere episode concluded with additional tributes to Dane, Cloud, and producer Kevin Turen, marking a poignant moment for the cast and fans alike.
At a recent screening at the TCL Chinese Theatre, Levinson reflected on the significance of honoring those who have passed. "Some people ask why it took so long between seasons two and three," he remarked. "There were obvious factors — the strikes, trying to make a schedule work with our very in-demand cast, but the real time was in trying to figure out how to find a way to pay respect to those who we lost."
Angus Cloud, who played Fezco in the first two seasons, died in 2023 at the age of 25 from acute intoxication in Oakland, California. His unexpected death was followed a month later by the passing of Turen at age 44. Dane reprised his role in the third season before his death in February, succumbing to respiratory failure with ALS as a contributing factor.
Dane’s character, Cal, does not appear in the season premiere but is expected to return later. Levinson noted that he adapted his writing to accommodate Dane’s health challenges during filming, creating a thoughtful approach to the character’s narrative.
This season also explores Rue’s (Zendaya) visit to her former high school friend Lexi (Maude Apatow) in Los Angeles. Lexi, now an assistant to a well-known television executive played by Sharon Stone, is prompted by Rue to reach out to Fez, who, while incarcerated for 30 years, still feels a connection to her.
In discussing the decision to conclude Fez’s story arc in this manner, Levinson shared with Entertainment Weekly: "I fought very hard to keep him clean when he was alive, and losing him was really tough. I felt like if I couldn’t keep him alive in life, then I could in the show."
