A star on the edge + a twisted cult-leading self-help guru = one very toxic relationship.
Lily Rose Depp and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye star in this very messed up romantic drama set in Hollywood. Created by Tesfaye and the mastermind behind Euphoria, Sam Levison, we’re expecting that this gritty drama will show us the glamour of stardom as well as reveal the dark underbelly of Tinseltown. The show is produced by A24 who have brought us some of the best films of last year such as Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Whale, X, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Aftersun.
The show’s been in development since 2021 but it was revealed (perhaps accidentally!) by HBO’s Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys in a livestream during the Global Demand Awards that after the fourth season of The Succession we can expect to receive The Idol on our screens. As The Succession season four will run until the end of May we’re hoping The Weeknd’s brainchild will premiere in sometime in June.
The HBO original focuses on Jocelyn, played by Depp, a gorgeous young pop idol struggling to reclaim her title as the sexiest star in America after a nervous breakdown causes her last tour to be cancelled. When the mysterious and enigmatic self-help guru Tedros, played by the Weeknd, catches her eye in a club, the two embark on a fiery love affair, which will either save them or break them (our money’s on break).
Musician Troye Sivan, star of Shiva Baby and Bodies Bodies Bodies Rachel Sennott, rising actress Suzanna Son, Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy, and BLACKPINK‘s Jennie (in her acting debut) will all play a part in bringing The Idol to life.
In an interview with Elle last November, Depp said the biggest challenge when embodying Jocelyn was “understanding how alone you can feel, even when everybody’s watching you”. Pop idols Madonna, Britney Spears, and Mariah Carey were all used as reference points for Depp’s transformation. The actress also said she felt blessed to be working with Levinson and Tesfaye who are, “two people who make me feel incredibly safe and protected”. She called Tesfaye, “a really good friend who’s had my back”, saying, “We’ve gone on this wild ride together. It was a first for both of us in a lot of ways”.
So far, the three teaser trailer suggests the show will be packed with flashy convertibles, bright lights, sparkling mansions, slinky outfits, plenty of booze, sexy strip teases, many many drugs, and a crazy amount of sexual tension between the two leads. So basically, everything we love in a TV show. June can’t come soon enough.
Words By: Molly Sutherland
