HBO has released a new trailer for its upcoming show, The Idol, featuring Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd. The network has set the premiere date for Sunday, June 4th at 9 p.m. This comes after anonymous sources alleged that the show was “torture porn” and had gone “wildly, disgustingly off the rails.”
The show is co-created by Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, who underwent a creative overhaul last year. The new trailer is packed with steamy scenes, which is no surprise to anyone who watches Levinson’s wildly successful HBO show, Euphoria.
The Plot
The Idol is an erotic drama that follows the story of Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp, a pop star who suffered a nervous breakdown during her last tour. Determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America, she gets mixed up with Tedros, played by The Weeknd, a nightclub impresario with a sordid past.
As she tries to reignite her passions, her romantic awakening takes her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul.
Cast and Crew of The Idol
The Idol is co-created by Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, who have worked together to bring their vision to life. The show stars Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd in lead roles.
Depp has described Levinson as “the best director I have ever worked with” and someone who creates an environment in which she feels “seen, heard, and appreciated.” The Weeknd has also praised Levinson for making them feel “comfortable and safe” on set.
The Idol Trailer
Watch the trailer here:
What is The Controversy All About?
Rolling Stone released a story on The Idol on March 1, citing anonymous sources who stated that the HBO series was plagued by issues. Their accusations vary from The Weeknd replacing former director Amy Seimetz with Euphoria producer Sam Levinson because Seimetz supplied too much of a “woman’s perspective” to rumors of a “shitshow” production with scenes reminiscent of “torture porn.”
The Weeknd’s reaction was arguably not the best, given that his character is supposedly a seemingly unrelatable sadist and/or sociopath (and therefore his comments on the condition of the world don’t carry much weight), but it goes deeper.
People on social media were outraged by The Weeknd’s lack of response to the charges, misinterpreting his flippant answer as an inability to respond appropriately to the controversy.
Production
The show underwent a creative overhaul last year, with Levinson taking over as director. The show’s initial approach and production of early episodes did not meet HBO’s standards, so the team made creative changes that they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew.
The creative team has been committed to creating a safe, collaborative, and mutually respectful working environment. The Idol will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month in the out-of-competition selection.
HBO’s Response
HBO has issued a statement in support of The Idol, stating that the creators and producers have been working hard to create one of HBO’s most exciting and provocative original programs. The team has made creative changes that they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew. The network looks forward to sharing The Idol with audiences soon.
Conclusion
The Idol is an upcoming show that follows the story of a pop star who suffered a nervous breakdown during her last tour. Determined to reclaim her status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America, she gets mixed up with a nightclub impresario with a sordid past.
The show has faced controversy, but stars Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd have stood by their co-collaborator, Sam Levinson, stating that he is a true collaborator in every way. HBO has issued a statement in support of the show and looks forward to sharing it with audiences soon.
Despite being a student and an athlete, Sachin never lets himself be confined merely to sports or academics and rightly shows vivid interest in work behind the lenses thus, making him the right fit for being a content creator at Landscape Insight. He serves the website with various reports from the entertainment industries right from web series to movies. When not found writing, he enjoys listening to music and playing video games.
You can reach him at [email protected] or through our website’s contact page.
