'Euphoria' Season 3 Premiere Pays Tribute to Eric Dane, Explains Fate of Angus Cloud's Character

The HBO drama honored the late actors who played key roles on the show.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 6:08pm

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An abstract close-up photograph of a shattered mirror reflecting a soft, glowing light, conveying a sense of fragility and loss.The 'Euphoria' cast and crew pay tribute to their fallen colleagues through the show's poignant Season 3 premiere.Los Angeles Today

The Season 3 premiere of the HBO series 'Euphoria' paid tribute to cast members Eric Dane and Angus Cloud, who both passed away before the new season aired. Dane, who played the character of Cal, will still appear in later episodes despite his real-life ALS diagnosis, while Cloud's character Fez was revealed to be serving a 30-year prison sentence.

Why it matters

The loss of two key 'Euphoria' cast members has deeply impacted the show and its devoted fanbase. The tributes and explanations of their characters' fates in the Season 3 premiere were an emotional way for the series to honor their memories and the impact they had on the show.

The details

The Season 3 premiere began with a tribute to Eric Dane, who died in February 2026 at age 53 after announcing he had been diagnosed with ALS. Though Dane will not appear in the premiere, the show's creator Sam Levinson said he will be featured in later episodes, with the production working around Dane's health challenges. The episode also included a tribute to Angus Cloud, who died of an accidental drug overdose in 2023 at age 25. Cloud's character Fez was revealed to be serving a 30-year prison sentence following the events of the Season 2 finale.

  • Eric Dane died on February 19, 2026.
  • Angus Cloud died in July 2023.
  • The Season 3 premiere of 'Euphoria' aired on April 12, 2026.

The players

Eric Dane

An American actor who played the role of Cal Jacobs on the HBO series 'Euphoria'. He died in 2026 at the age of 53 after being diagnosed with ALS.

Angus Cloud

An American actor who played the role of Fez on the HBO series 'Euphoria'. He died in 2023 at the age of 25 due to an accidental drug overdose.

Sam Levinson

The creator and showrunner of the HBO series 'Euphoria'.

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What they’re saying

“Eric called me before we started shooting and told me that he had been diagnosed with ALS. We had a lot of conversations about just life and what that meant. I loved him very deeply, and I said, 'Eric, whatever shape you show up in, we're gonna make it work. I have faith that it's all gonna work.'”

— Sam Levinson, Creator and showrunner of 'Euphoria'

“He just showed up every day with such grace and dignity. He was a great human being.”

— Sam Levinson, Creator and showrunner of 'Euphoria'

What’s next

The Season 3 premiere of 'Euphoria' has set the stage for the continued storylines of the show, including the fates of the characters played by the late Eric Dane and Angus Cloud. Fans will have to tune in to future episodes to see how the series handles these significant losses and pays further tribute to the departed actors.

The takeaway

The 'Euphoria' Season 3 premiere's heartfelt tributes to Eric Dane and Angus Cloud demonstrate the profound impact these young actors had on the show and its devoted fanbase. Their untimely deaths have left a lasting mark, but the series is finding ways to honor their legacies and keep their characters alive, even as the story moves forward.