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After dominating the music world, superstar Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd) has set her sights on a new niche: television. Singer-songwriter, co-writer and executive producer on HBO’s Idola music industry drama he created with Reza Fahim and HappinessSam Levinson’s. Lily-Rose Depp will play the lead role.
If you were expecting this to be a dark and twisted story in the vein of Happiness, You are not wrong. The series is so far considered “the worst love story in Hollywood”, and it is said to follow “a female pop singer who begins a romance with a mysterious club owner. LA, head of a secret cult”, per Limit line. Depp and Tesfaye were cast in those roles, respectively.
Here’s what else to know.
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When Idol published?
The exact date has yet to be announced; HBO just says it’s “coming soon.” To keep us in the loop, the network released the first trailer above, which The Weeknd premiered during its MetLife Stadium tour on Saturday, July 16.
Who is in the cast?
Singer and actor Troye Sivan appears in the trailer, in an undisclosed role. Jennie of K-pop group BLACKPINK also has looks and looks. Shiva Baby star Rachel Sennott is also saw on the movie set.
Several casting announcements have been made over the past year, including: Melanie Liburd (This is us), Tunde Adebimpe (Rachel gets married), Steve Zissis (Happy Death Day 2 USD), Elizabeth Berkley Lauren (Girls performing), Nico Hiraga (Smart book), Anne Heche (Six days and seven nights), Juliebeth Gonzalez, Maya Eshet (Teenage werewolf), Tyson Ritter (Preach), Kate Lyn Sheil (Dealer), Liz Sierra (God’s Hour) and Finley Rose Slater (Play with fire). However, the cast and crew made changes when the show was announced this spring. The full and final cast list remains unclear.
Got a sneak peek of the series?
Following the release of the trailer, The Weeknd and IdolHer official Instagram account shared stills from the upcoming show.
Why was the program overhauled?
At the end of April, HBO told Limit line that it is “adjusting” Idolof the cast and crew are in the middle of production, citing a “new approach” to the show. A spokesman for the network said:
“IdolTheir creative team continued to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show, and they aligned in a new creative direction. Production will tailor the cast and crew accordingly to best serve this new approach to the series. We look forward to sharing more information soon. ”
After that, breaking news that director Amy Seimetz (Girlfriend’s experience), who is said to have directed every episode of the series, has left the project. Actress Susanna Son (Red rocket), who is playing a hit member of the series, is also said to have gotten out.
Limit line reported that Tesfaye was unhappy with the show’s creative direction, with sources saying he felt it was “skewed too much towards a ‘feminine perspective’.” However, IndieWire reports that Depp’s character has always been seen as central to the series from the very beginning. The outlet added that the creative team “effectively supported the script and rough assembly” but Tesfaye “later voiced his concerns and wanted a reboot”.
Seimetz is also said to have no plans to direct the final episode due to scheduling conflicts with the DC series Sweet teeth, will shoot in New Zealand. It’s unclear who directed the series, though Levinson is a possibility.
We’ll wait for more details, but at least the first trailer tells us that, despite the detour, Idol really on the road.
