Angus Cloud’s death hits Gen Z Hard. Experts Say Why
“He did not intend to end his life.” -Lisa Cloud, Angus’ mother
(Stefanie Keenan via Getty Images for FILA)
”Euphoria” star Angus Cloud’s mother is shutting down previous social media posts that her son’s death was “intentional.”
Lisa Cloud posted on Facebook letting people know that “although my son was in deep grief about his father’s untimely death from mesothelioma, his last day was a joyful one.”
“He did not intend to end his life,” she added. “When we hugged goodnight, we said how much we loved each other and he said he would see me in the morning. I don’t know if or what he may have put in his body after that. I only know that he put his head on the desk where he was working on art projects. Fell asleep and didn’t wake up.”
As the cause of death for the 25-year-old has not been determined by the Alameda County Coroner, memorialized photos celebrating Cloud’s life are continuously flooding social media feeds with the loss taking a toll on Gen Z.
The disbelief was expressed and felt across all social media where many shared their reactions. “I really thought y’all was lying, this can’t be real bro,” said @Lovnessa on TikTok, while @blondedback captioned their video “I’m actually sick.”
Samita Nandy, director of the Centre for Media Studies said, “The phenomena around celebrity death is nothing new..but with the perception of social media [we now have is] a level of intensity that wasn’t there before.”
Nandy elaborates on how Modern day mourning makes people feel responsible to post about their grief because of the “intimate connection” a fanbase gradually builds with celebrity figures through the help of social media.
The passing of someone as young as Cloud can “bring a heightened awareness of mortality to young people, said Collette Sachs, an associate therapist at Manhattan Wellness. It’s Just reminding the young generation that, you know, mortality is inevitable, Nandy added.
Even though this is a concept all ages struggle to accept, it can be especially difficult for those a part of Gen Z who’ve experienced death before or even viewed Cloud as a peer. Not only because of the similarity in age but also what Angus represented through the nature of his craft.
“They might have seen [their] struggles mirrored in the role he played, or relate to his real life back-ground struggles with mental health and addiction, which he spoke about candidly.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, call 988.
Sydney Wanguhu, (she/her) is from the Bay Area and is an LA-based journalist who covers entertainment and culture. Follow her on Instagram: @sydneyy._
Edited by Nykeya Woods