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The bittersweet quality came little than a twelvemonth aft Eric revealed that helium had been diagnosed with ALS, oregon amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This tin besides beryllium known arsenic centrifugal neurone disease, and impacts nervus cells successful the encephalon and spinal cord, causing patients to gradually suffer the quality to walk, speak, eat, and respire independently — though their intelligence authorities remains unchanged.
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Speaking to Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America in June, Eric said that his symptoms began astir a twelvemonth and a fractional earlier, erstwhile helium noticed weakness successful his close hand. He added astatine the time: “My near broadside is functioning, my close broadside has wholly stopped working… I consciousness similar possibly a mates much months, and I won’t person my near manus either. It’s sobering.”
Before helium died, it was confirmed that amid his debilitating illness, Eric had filmed his last scenes for Season 3 of Euphoria, which returned to our screens earlier this period aft a four-year break. Last June, Eric told Access Hollywood that it was “great to beryllium back” connected set, adding: “I tin guarantee you that we are successful accumulation and we are shooting a truly large TV show.”
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Speaking to Extra aft Eric’s passing, Euphoria’s showrunner Sam Levinson said that helium and Eric had spoken astir however they’d enactment astir his ALS diagnosis earlier filming began. Sam recalled: “I loved him precise deeply, and I said: ‘Eric, immoderate signifier you amusement up in, we’re gonna marque it work. I person religion that it’s each gonna work.'”
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When Eric showed up to set, Sam said that helium noticed helium had “a flimsy slur successful his voice,” helium explained: “I said: ‘Don’t worry. We’ll conscionable put, like, 5 brew bottles successful beforehand of you and you’ve been drinking each night.’ He was like: ‘Perfect, perfect.’ And his character… It was specified a gift.”
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Eric’s character, Cal Jacobs, did not diagnostic successful the Season 3 premiere of Euphoria, though the occurrence did wage touching tribute with an successful memoriam photograph astatine the beginning.
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But Cal was backmost successful each his glory successful occurrence 2, “America My Dream,” which aired connected Sunday night. If you request reminding, Season 2 ended with Cal being arrested aft his son, Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi, turned him successful to the constabulary for having intersexual encounters with underage men and transgender women.
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Explaining what had happened to Cal successful the years since, Zendaya’s voiceover arsenic her character, Rue, explains: “The past 5 years had been humiliating for Cal; helium went from being the town’s apical existent property developer to a broke intersexual deviant who narrowly avoided prison.”
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In the episode, Eric’s ALS is worked into the storyline by Cal being noticeably drunk, stumbling done Nate’s beforehand doorway and asking him if he’s “got thing to drink.”
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Eric was utilizing a wheelchair successful his last months, and Cal is seated for the remainder of the occurrence — with bare bottles of beers successful beforehand of him arsenic an mentation for his slurred speech.
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Euphoria fans astir apt champion retrieve Cal for his subtly comedic back-and-forths with different characters, including the iconic “I’m highly confused” country with Fezco, played by the precocious Angus Cloud:
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And that aforesaid vigor was backmost for Season 3, with Cal and Nate having a candid speech astir Cal’s enactment life. Nate tells his dad: “You’re gay, you’re successful denial, and it came retired successful precise weird ways.”
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But Cal is unfazed, replying: “I’m not gay. I was a hedonist,” to which Nate exclaims: “You fucked men successful the ass!” Cal replies: “So?” And Nate asks: “How is that not gay?!” Cal remains characteristically matter-of-fact, simply stating: “I was a pitcher, not a catcher.”
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And the bully quality is, this decidedly isn’t the past of Cal Jacobs, with the quality shown reuniting with Jules [Hunter Schafer] successful the Season 3 trailer, and those scenes yet to deed our screens.
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