Fez from Euphoria's scar is real, and actor Angus Cloud reveals the harrowing real-life story behind it. HBO's Euphoria season 2 wrapped up in February of this year, and a season 3 for the network's second-most watched show has already been confirmed. One of the standout storylines from season 2 of the show was Fezco's. The character serves as the neighborhood drug dealer as well as a protective older brother figure for protagonist Rue (Zendaya). He quickly became a favorite in season 1, when the contrast between his quiet, tough demeanor and kindness won over fans. Season 2 opened with his origin story, letting viewers know they were in for a season of development for the character.
In Fez's backstory, viewers are introduced to his grandmother, portrayed by Brynda Mattox. Upon seeing a black eye on little Fez, she shoots his father in a strip club and drives off with the boy. She trains him in dealing drugs and finds him a sibling in the form of Fez's little brother Ashtray, a baby who was abandoned as collateral in a drug deal. Despite caring for the boys in her own way, Fez's grandmother is shown to be a violent woman. One day, she confronts a former client and begins to strike him with a crowbar. When Fez tries to intervene, she accidentally hits him with it, which is revealed to be the origin for his scar in the show.
In an interview with Variety, Cloud describes the chilling real-life origin of the signature scar, setting the mood from the first few sentences: “It’s real. I broke my skull on Friday the 13th." He goes on to detail the event that resulted in five days in the ICU and, fortunately, very minimal brain damage. One dark night in 2013 after spending time with a group of friends in his hometown, he fell into a construction pit in downtown Oakland, and when he eventually managed to make his way home, his mother made sure he made it to the hospital:
I woke up 12 hours later at the bottom. I was trapped. I eventually climbed out after — I don’t know how long. It was hella hard to climb out, because my skull was broken, but my skin wasn’t, so all the bleeding was internal, pressing up against my brain. But they wasn’t gonna find me down there. I found myself. Or God found me, whatever you want to call it. [...] She gave me some water, and I started throwing up hella mouthfuls of crimson red blood. Shit was crazy. So then my mama took me to the children’s hospital, and they saved my life. That’s what the scar’s from. They cut my head open, they put some screws and a plate over where I broke my skull and — s**t, sealed me back up, and that was that.
After hearing the true story behind it, it's fascinating to see how the writers were able to incorporate the scar into Fez's story and use it to offer a commentary on cycles of violence. Though there are many differences between Cloud and Fez, Cloud's nonchalant account of the dramatic event mirrors Fez's own way of speaking, proving he was the right choice for the role. This is even more impressive considering that Cloud wasn't an actor before Euphoria; he was picked up by a street caster, and the series shot him to stardom.
Euphoria season 2 saw plenty of growth for Fez, mainly through his semi-romantic friendship with Lexi (Maude Apatow), Rue's best friend and Cassie's sister. The two bond early on in episode 1 at the New Year's party and gradually form a close relationship based on trust and respect. Fez supports Lexi through concerns about the play she's writing, and Lexi dedicates her play to him, though he never makes it to his reserved seat due to a violent confrontation going down at his house. While there will likely be a long wait before season 3, it's certain that viewers will eventually see the fallout from that event and find out whether Fez got any new scars out of the ordeal.
Source: Variety