Sam Levinson Opens Up About Loss of Angus Cloud Ahead of Euphoria Season 3

HBO’s Euphoria returned for its third season with a premiere held at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on April 7, 2026. During the event, series creator Sam Levinson dedicated the new season to those who we lost, specifically naming actor Angus Cloud, actor Eric Dane, and producer Kevin Turen.

Levinson addressed the significant time gap between the second and third seasons, attributing the delay to a combination of industry strikes and the logistical challenges of coordinating a high-demand cast. He also noted that a substantial portion of the time was spent determining how to properly pay respect to the production’s deceased colleagues.

Honoring Angus Cloud

The production was heavily impacted by the death of Angus Cloud, who played Fezco, in July 2023. Cloud died in Oakland, California, at the age of 25 from acute intoxication. Levinson identified Cloud as one of 73,000 people in the United States who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023.

Levinson stated that he fought to help Cloud stay clean during his life and described the loss as really hard for the production. To honor the actor, Levinson chose to keep the character of Fezco alive within the narrative of the third season, using storytelling to preserve Cloud’s presence in the show.

I loved Angus very deeply and I fought very hard to keep him clean while he was here. I think when he passed away, it made me sort of step back and go what is the story I want to tell, what is it I want to say? What matters in life?

Sam Levinson

The Final Scenes of Eric Dane

The series also lost actor Eric Dane, who passed away in February 2026 following a diagnosis of ALS. Dane completed his scenes for the third season before his death, having insisted on returning to the set despite the diagnosis.

Levinson recalled that Dane’s speech had become slurred due to the illness. The creator decided to integrate this reality into the performance, placing beer bottles in front of the character to make the slurred delivery fit the scene. Levinson described Dane as a consummate professional who approached his final filming days with grace and dignity.

One of the season’s larger production milestones was a wedding sequence that featured 28 cast members on set during a single Saturday of filming.

Narrative Shifts in Season 3

Season 3 introduces a time jump that moves the characters out of high school and into the wild west of adulthood. Levinson explained that this shift allowed the show to explore the consequences of the characters’ previous actions and their transitions into the real world.

The premiere reveals several new directions for the primary cast:

• Cassie and Nate are getting married.
• Lexi and Maddy are pursuing careers in Hollywood.
• Rue continues to struggle with drug-related complications.

Levinson stated that he intended for the third season to explore the meaning beyond the absurdity, incorporating themes of faith and the concept of surrendering one’s will to a higher power.