Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO
Dominic Fike is a multitalent.
The breakout star ofEuphoriamight have made his acting debut on the HBO series in 2022, but his role as Elliot isn’t the only part of his career that’s been critically acclaimed, as his music put him on the scene in the first place.
Cast as a “degenerate” bearing a mischievous attitude, Fike’s character made his first appearance during the teen drama’sseason 2 premiereon Jan. 9, 2022, alongsideZendaya’sRue BennettandHunter Schafer’s Jules Vaughn.
AlthoughEuphoriamarks Fike’s first acting stint in a major title, the actortoldVarietyin 2021 that there’s a cross-comparison to his work as a musician, saying, “It feels like a long music video.”
Still, he never considered himself much of an actor prior to landing the gig and doesn’t place the title of actor too heavily on his shoulders.
“I don’t have to do much acting [onEuphoria],” adding, “He’s exactly like me. It’s s— I would say and s— I would do.”
So, who is Dominic Fike? Here’s everything to know about the actor and musician.
His first EP was released from prison
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Florida-born Fike initially released his debut EP,Don’t Forget About Me, on SoundCloud in 2017 — which he recorded while on house arrest — however, it wasn’t until Columbia Records officially released the EP in 2018 that it started to gain critical acclaim.
When it was released, Fike was serving jail time after violating the terms of his house arrest,tellingComplexin 2019, “I couldn’t check the views or respond to the homies. I couldn’t talk to people.”
While in prison, he focused on his music and even used his surroundings to create.
“The sink had a tone; it had a note to it,” he said in avideo interview on his YouTube channel. “I called my producer one day, and I banged on my sink and asked him what note it was. From there, I was able to play the note and play up the C major scale. I was able to write music that way.”
He has collaborated with notable artists
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While the Columbia Records artist first gained recognition for his EP, Fike had a penchant for music at an early age, learning to play the guitar at age 10.
In addition to his EP and 2020 albumWhat Could Possibly Go Wrong, Fike has collaborated with several notable artists, includingHalsey,Justin Bieber, Brockhampton, Anderson .Paak and evenPaul McCartney— singing on the latter’s 2021 remix album,McCartney III Reimagined,on the lead single “The Kiss of Venus.”
Fike has cited his music style as a blend of genres, often rap and reggaeton. Describing his writing method as “not calculated” while being “looser with lyrics,” the artisttoldNMEofWhat Could Possibly Go Wrong, “It blends, it’s weird … But it works — I love it.”
He datedEuphoriacostar Schafer
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Fike and Schafer met in early 2021 while filming season 2 ofEuphoria. On the series, Fike plays the “homie” (as he described toVariety) of Rue and Jules, who eventually ends up in a love triangle involving the two friends. The costars took their romance off-screen and seeminglyconfirmed the relationshipin February 2022 when the actor posted a photo kissing Schafer on Instagram, a month after they werespotted holding handsin West Hollywood, Calif. They were later photographed on vacation and attended theVanity FairOscars party together. Schafer also supported Fike at a few music festivals throughout summer of 2022.
Fike publicly discussed hisrelationship with Schaferfor the first time and how the two fell in love on the set ofEuphoria.
“In those moments, your relationship is accelerated,” the “Elliot’s Song” singertoldGQin May 2022 about filming their scenes together. “Because you’re so vulnerable with someone, immediately. Which usually takes a long time. Some people fall in love, like, f—— months after they meet or years after. We developed an attraction — it sped it up so fast. We just really got to know each other so quickly.”
However, after dating for more than a year, Fike and Schafer called it quits in 2023, with himtelling theLos Angeles Timesin July that it was time for him to be “alone for a while.”
In a separate interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Fike doubled down, saying that he’s “done being in relationships” due to hisstruggle with codependency.
He is expected to return as Elliot on season 3 ofEuphoria
In February 2022,Euphoriawasrenewed for a third season, though new episodes won’t be released until at least 2025 due to multiple reasons, including thewriters strike in 2023. While details about season 3 are sparse, the show’s costume designer, Heidi Bivens,toldVoguein April 2023 that the third season is expected to be set “approximately five years in the future” when all the characters are out of high school.
Fike has been among the cast members to discuss his excitement for the show returning, telling Lowe that season 3 is “gonna be sick.”
“I have a better dynamic with everybody,” he said. “I mean, well, I don’t know. Almost everybody,” seemingly referring to his breakup with Schafer.
Despite their split, he was optimistic the two could still work together.
He added, “I think it’ll be fine. We’re all adults, kind of. I’m trying.”
His tattoos have special significance
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Fike has several tattoos, and while he hasn’t revealed exactly how many he has, he’s opened up about the meaning behind a few.
During his teenage years, he joined rap collectives Backhouse and its subgroup Lame Boys ENT before his solo career took off. Though he’s no longer a member, he has the ENT initials inked on his forehead, perComplex.
Fike has a younger brother named Alex, a sister named Apple and an older brother named Sean. Under his right eye, the actor sports a permanent tat of an apple in honor of his sister. He previously toldNMEthat he measures success based on his ability to support his family.
He lives in a famous house
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He received recognition from Barack Obama
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When former U.S. PresidentBarack Obamashared his annual end-of-year music playlist in 2019, Fike was among some of the big names found there.
Listed alongsideBeyoncé,J. ColeandAlicia Keys, Fike expressed his disbelief toNME.
“Oh man — that’s crazy right? Boy, my momma is proud.”
He added, “I don’t even know what possessed him to put me on his playlist. Crazy … That one stumped me.”
He has some A-list artists as fans
Paul Mccartney/YouTube
Grammy-winnerBillie Eilishpraised Fike as one of her favorite artists in avideo interview withNMEin 2019, saying he’s “the baddest kid” she ever met.
“I think he’s slowly getting the recognition [he] deserves, so I’m pumped about that, but I think it needs [to be] more,” she said.
Eilish is just one of the many acclaimed artists who have recognized Fike’s talent. The other is formerBeatlesmember McCartney.
When Fike finalized his reinterpretation of McCartney’s “The Kiss of Venus,” Fike recounted his phone call with the musical icon in 2021.
“He was like, ‘I f—–’ love your version, man.' He was telling me about how they madeSgt. Pepper’sand s—,” FiketoldRolling Stone.
He was nearly “kicked off"Euphoriafor substance use
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During his 2023 interview with Lowe, Fike admitted he almost lost the role of Elliot because he was “so f—– up doing a lot of the show.” He also highlighted the challenge of dealing with addiction while filming a series that depicts teen drug use and centers mental health.
“I was a drug addict, and coming onto a show, you know, mainly about drugs is very difficult,” he said. “It was really bad.”
Fike confirmed that show creatorSam Levinsonemployed “a sober coach, somebody to be there, you know, all the time,” but he said it “did not work” because he was high and under the influence while filming.
“I was reprimanded for it. I almost, you know, got kicked off the show … They were like, ‘Bro, you cannot be doing this,’ " he continued.
The actor revealed to Lowe that he is now sober and that his new lifestyle led to him distancing himself from his peers in the music industry.
source: people.com
