Los Angeles: Filmmaker Sam Levinson, who created the show ‘Euphoria’ starring Angus Cloud and Zendaya, has said that he tried several times to get the late Angus get clean and sober.
Cloud, who died back in July, was revealed to have accidentally overdosed on from a lethal mix of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and benzodiazepines.
The 25-year-old actor had already been suffering from addiction problems and this was only worsened by his father’s passing which sentAngusCloudheavily into depression, making him rely more on anti-depressants.
In a new interview, the creator of the drama series opened up aboutCloud’s struggles with addiction during production and his own struggles tohelpthe actorgetclean andsober. Those efforts included multiple interventions and rehab stints.
Levinson, who had said thathebegan to see that something was off with the actor, told ‘People’ magazine, “I looked him in the eye and I knew thathewasn’t doing well,”Levinsonsaid.
“At the same time I’ve been in these situations before where you’re trying togetsomeone clean. And I just said to him, ‘I love working with you and we’ve got this amazing season planned and stuff, but I need you to besoberbecause I got to be able to rely on you.’”
The actor entered a 30 day in-patient rehab which was followed by three months of outpatient treatment. HBO footed the rehab bill.Hecame back to the show and went to rehab again when they were five episodes into the season.
That stint was also courtesy of an intervention byLevinsonwhosayshetold the actor, “You’ve got togethelpand you’ve got togethelpright now.”
As soon as the episode wrapped,Levinsonand his wife droveCloudto treatment. “I could always feel thathedidn’t want sobriety as much as we all wanted it for him. That’s where it gets tricky because the whole world can want it for you.Buthedidn’t want it. It’s just the self-destructive side of addiction and it outweighs everything. But you can’t give up on people. I wasn’t going to let anyone give up on him”.
That included keeping him on the show, even after his character was supposed to have died.
“Anguswas supposed to die at the end of the first season, but I loved him so f***** much,”Levinsonsaid. “The first thing I noticed about him washehad those Paul Newman eyes … and his audition tape wherehesaid that his name wasAngusCloudandhe’s ‘five foot 12.’ It killed me”.
“Hewas perfect. I think part of the problem is I would sometimes put actors ahead of the show attimes. So I was like, ‘Okay, I can’t kill him because then what isheto look forward to?'”,headded.
Once Season 2 wrapped,LevinsonandCloudhad a long talk, and the Euphoria creator told the actorhewouldn’t be allowed on set ifhewasn’tsober.
“No, no, I’m good. I’m good,”LevinsonsaidCloudtold him. ButLevinsonknew different. “I could tell, at that time, it was likehewasn’t interested.Hewasn’t going to do anything, and yeah,hedidn’t want it.”
After the actor’s passing,Levinsonhad said in a statement: “There was no one quite likeAngus.Hewas too special, too talented and way too young to leave us so soon.Healso struggled, like many of us, with addiction and depression. I hopeheknew how many heartshetouched. I loved him. I always will. Rest in peace and God Bless his family.”
–IANS