SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers for the Season 2 finale of “Euphoria,” which aired on HBO on Feb. 27.
Angus Cloud‘s Fezco has had quite the journey this season of “Euphoria.” The sophomore season of the Sam Levinson show for HBO saw Fez picking up the pieces after his brother Ashtray (Javon Walton) killed drug dealer Mouse (Meeko Gattuso) with a hammer to the head. Following a frightening (and naked) encounter with soft-spoken drug lord Laurie (Martha Kelly), Fez took in heroin addict Faye (Chloe Cherry), the girlfriend of Mouse’s associate Custer (Tyler Chase).
Whispers about Mouse’s death finally caught up with the brothers as Fez saw his life go up in smoke (literally). While he prepared to attend love interest Lexi’s play, bouquet of roses in hand, Custer showed up to demand answers — while recording their conversation for the police.
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Faye slyly warned Fez to stay quiet, but Ashtray didn’t get the memo, fatally stabbing Custer in the throat. Fez was prepared to take the fall, but Ashtray chose to hole up in the bathroom with an assortment of guns, ultimately dying in a shootout with a SWAT team, but not before he’d accidentally shot Fez in the stomach through the door.
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“Pretty sad, right?” says Angus Cloud while discussing the action-packed episode on Monday morning.
What was your reaction to first reading the script for this episode?
It would just be like, damn.
Walk me through the process of the SWAT shootout. How many takes did you do and did you lose your voice from all that screaming?
Yeah. We filmed it — I think in three days. Twelve-hour days. So yeah, it took a long time. All the technicality stuff with the bullets.
How did you prepare mentally for that intense scene?
I don’t know. I guess I didn’t because I was just like, I couldn’t have even expected how full-throttle it was gonna be. Some of those guys were like, ex-cops and stuff, so they know what they’re doing.
How did you get through doing so many takes of that without getting worn out on the emotion of it?
I don’t know. You just do it. Ain’t nothing to it but to do it.
We got to see so much more of Fez and Ashtray’s relationship this season. How did that contribute to the final scene between them?
I don’t know. He just felt like Ash was so young that he wanted him to still have a chance at living a whole life. They definitely brothers. They raised each other. So it’s like, as close as you can get.
Did Ashtray speak at all during this episode? What was it like playing off his silence?
When we filmed it, he was talking, so that must have just happened during the editing or whatever.
Did you see it coming that Faye would actually come through and try to help Fez and Ash?
I don’t think he really thought about it. But at that point, maybe she had just formed, like, a bond that she appreciated. More than what she had with Fester [he means Custer] or whatever.
Everybody is wondering what’s going on with Grandma Fez, and whether she’s going to be OK. Do you have any idea of what could happen to her?
I don’t know. That’s a tough one. She’s old. She could have a heart attack. Who knows?
What did Fez’s note to Lexi say?
It was just, like, a congratulations. I think they both know there’s a vibe going on. Definitely taking it to the next level with them flowers and whatnot. So I think the letter was just being like, “Yo, good job for fucking doing you.”
What would Fez have thought of the play?
I think he would have thought it was awesome. He would have been pretty excited.
Do you think he would have had a reaction when Cassie stormed the stage and interrupted the play? Do you think Fez would have intervened?
Intervene, no. But I would have stood up out of my chair like, “Oh shit! Fight! Fight! Fight!”
We saw Fez and Lexi talk about some movies and TV shows as they bonded. Have you actually seen “Stand by Me” or “Little House on the Prairie?”
“Stand by Me,” I’ve seen it fo’sho. “Little House on the Prairie,” not so much. A little bit.
Is there a movie that you would show to win someone over, or that would help someone understand you?
I don’t know. Like on a date, if it was a first date type of shit, I would put on one of those Hayao Miyazaki joints.
Fez has gotten so much social media love, especially after this episode. Did you expect that when you started playing this character?
No. I don’t expect too much from anything or anybody. So, yeah, it was a surprise to me.
We’ve heard that there were rewrites going on throughout the season. Was there anything different about this episode when you first heard about it? Did anything change?
Yeah.
Are you allowed to tell me?
I don’t think so.
Are we going to see Fezco in Season 3?
I don’t know. They haven’t really told me yet.
Do you have an idea of what could be next for Fezco?
I don’t know. The world is Sam’s oyster.
This interview has been edited and condensed.