Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage as The Weeknd, and Lily Rose-Depp feature in the upcoming music business thriller The Idol, for which HBO has published a new teaser video. The latest teaser, like the first one presented last month, premiered at The Weeknd’s show in Las Vegas, which is the penultimate stop of his ongoing After Hours to Dawn Tour. According to the synopsis, The Idol will focus on the tumultuous dynamics between a self-help guru (The Weeknd) who covertly heads a contemporary cult and a budding pop idol (Rose-Depp).
Again, the new trailer is full of steamy moments that hint at the atmosphere for which the show’s co-creator Sam Levinson (Euphoria) is known. One of the characters says, “That’s sex, That’s what we’re selling.” Unlike the first teaser, this one really shows Jennie Kim of BLACKPINK in action, among the other main characters. Jennie, making her acting debut, appears in a scene in a sauna with Rose-Depp, giving off an adversarial feeling before the two of them walk out for a night of wild partying. The screenplay was fascinating, and I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of the show. This makes me very happy. The K-pop starlet stated last month that viewers should “watch me with fondness” since she plans to work hard in her new role.
In a brief cut, we get our first glimpse at the rest of the cast, which includes Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, Ramsey, and Hank Azaria. Even though HBO had planned for the series to debut in 2022, we have yet to be given a specific release date. This might be because the project’s initial director, Amy Seimetz, left the show in recent months, resulting in a major creative shake-up. Thus, the programme had to recast several parts and reshoot a lot of scenes to accommodate the new direction. Levinson, who directed Euphoria and co-created and executive produced the show with Seimetz, who is most known for her work on The Killing, will take up all of Seimetz’s responsibilities.
HBO claimed the adjustments were the result of “a fresh creative approach” agreed upon by “The Idol’s” creative team. It was also revealed that “the production would be altering its cast and personnel appropriately” to accommodate the show’s new direction. More details will be forthcoming, and we can’t wait to share them. The sitcom is co-created by Mary Laws and Joe Epstein, who also acts as showrunner and writer. Aaron L. Gilbert, Ashley Levinson, Kevin Turen, and Reza Fahim are also executive producers with Tesfaye and Epstein. Production companies A24, HBO, and Bron Studios are behind the show.