Canadian rhythm-and-blues singer and songwriter The Weeknd who was perhaps best known for his explicit songs about sex and drugs, many of which were autobiographical, and for his soaring falsetto and its singular tremolo. The Weeknd's visuals and music videos have always been somewhat of a cinematic experience, especially during his conceptual After Hours era. Now, he's taking his onscreen storytelling to the next level.
The Weeknd starred in The Idol, a series for HBO. Created with Euphoria helmer Sam Levinson and Tesfaye's creative producer, Reza Fahim, the drama will follow a female pop singer who "starts a romance with an enigmatic L.A. club owner who is the leader of a secret cult," according to the log line. Consider us intrigued.
The Weeknd has shared a third teaser for his upcoming HBO Max series The Idol. The show stars Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye as a charismatic cult leader moving through the upper echelons of Los Angeles celebrities. The show’s female lead, Lily-Rose Depp, plays a female pop singer who is seduced by Tesfaye’s character. The latest clip features all-new footage, and reveals that the show will hit streaming next year (though an exact date was not announced), per Pitchfork.
The new trailer features new seductive footage of the titular pop star played by Lily-Rose Depp, as she goes through the trials and tribulations of trying to make it big in the industry. The series focuses on the growing relationship between the pop star and The Weeknd’s cult leader character. The trailer teases sex, drugs and pop music and a glimpse into the world created by Abel Tesfaye and Sam Levinson. In the teaser, Abel’s character tells Depp’s, “Los Angeles is where all the monsters of the world come to gather. Trust no one,” setting the tone for what to expect in the upcoming series.
Alongside Depp, the cast boasts a major cast of singers and actors including Troye Sivan, Blackpink’s Jennie Ruby Jane, Dan Levy, Suzanne Son, Tunde Adebimpe, Hari Nef and Nico Hiraga. The Idol is set to premiere on HBO Max in 2023.
The Idol has tapped a roster of rising actors and a real-life musician for the series. Along with Tesfaye, Depp (The King) will play an up-and-coming pop idol who gets ensnared in a "complicated relationship" with the cult leader. Singer-songwriter Troye Sivan will also join as a series regular, according to Harper's Bazaar.
A new teaser (seen above) reveals the rest of the truly stacked cast, which includes Suzanna Son (Red Rocket), singer Moses Sumney, Jane Adams (Hacks), Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek), Eli Roth (Inglorious Basterds), Rachel Sennot (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Hari Nef (Transparent), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (High Fidelity), star producer Mike Dean, Ramsey, Hank Azaria, and BLACKPINK member Jennie, going by Jennie Ruby Jane.
Some of the producers involved in the series include Ashley Levinson (Malcolm & Marie, Bombshell), Kevin Turen (Those Who Wish Me Dead), Aaron L. Gilbert (Joker), and Reza Fahim (The Weeknd’s producing partner and co-creator of the series). Co-executive producers are Wassim "SAL" Slaiby, La Mar C. Taylor (Tesfaye's creative director and XO Records co founder), and Mary Laws (Succession), who's also writing.
Tesfaye isn't exactly a stranger to the big screen. He appeared in the Safdie brothers' Uncut Gems in 2019 as a 2012 version of himself. As for TV, he wrote and guest-starred in an episode of American Dad in 2020.
Sources: Harper’s Bazaar, Pitchfork, Hypebeast