Angus Cloud

The actor plays Fezco, the kindhearted drug dealer who watches over Rue.Name: Angus CloudAge: 23Hometown: Oakland, Calif.Now Lives: In a light-filled home in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles that he shares with friends.Claim to Fame: Mr. Cloud had never acted before playing Fezco, the lovable drug dealer in “Euphoria,” who has emerged as a fan favorite. Fezco was meant to die in Season 1 but was kept alive, according to a casting agent, after Sam Levinson, the show’s creator, saw Mr. Cloud’s performance. Fezco has a bigger role in Season 2, including a budding romance with Lexi (played by Maude Apatow) that has fueled lots of online chatter.“I think Fezco’s relationship with Lexi is cool,” said Mr. Cloud, who speaks as slowly and softly as his character. “It’s not rushed and it’s not onscreen every single episode, but when it is, it’s truly something special.” He offered a sneak preview of this Sunday’s finale. “In the last episode, Fezco is action packed,” he said. “There’s a lot happening, I just hope the fans are ready.”The unlikely romance between Fezco and Lexi (played by Maude Apatow) has spurred lots of online conversation.Eddy Chen/HBOBig Break: In 2018, Mr. Cloud was walking on Mercer Street in Greenwich Village when he was approached by Eléonore Hendricks, a casting agent for “Euphoria.” “We were still scouting for some lead characters, Fezco especially,” Ms. Hendricks said. “So when I clocked Angus, I stopped him and his friend. This kind of thing happens in New York City, but it can be hard to believe.”At the time, Mr. Cloud was a waiter at Woodlands, a restaurant near the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He thought it was a scam, but his friend convinced him to follow through. “Before this, I didn’t have any desire to act,” he said. “I guess I was just at the right place at the right time.”Latest Project: Madison Avenue has come calling. Last year, Mr. Cloud appeared in a cheeky advertising campaign for Fila called “Falling in Love Again” that featured a short film directed by Mark Seliger and also stars Luke Wilson and Adesuwa Aighewi. Mr. Cloud also appeared in an ad for the Gap last fall directed by Christian Weber.“The costume designers at ‘Euphoria’ do a great job at keeping Fezco’s style aligned with my personal style,” Mr. Cloud said.Pat Martin for The New York TimesNext Thing: Mr. Cloud’s acting career looks bright. “We wrapped the second season on Nov. 23, 2021, and since then, I have booked three new movies,” he said. They include “Your Lucky Day,” a horror film set in a convenience store that involves a $156 million lottery ticket, and “The Line,” a coming-of-age thriller set at a university, starring John Malkovich, Alex Wolff and Halle Bailey.Fashion Darling: “The costume designers at ‘Euphoria’ do a great job at keeping Fezco’s style aligned with my personal style,” said Mr. Cloud, who likes Polo shirts, tracksuits, thick hoodies and colorful street wear. “They know what I like and don’t like, and we work extremely well together.” That may also explain why Mr. Cloud was invited to several fashion events in New York this month, including for Thom Browne and Coach. More