Sam Levinson, the showrunner of Euphoria, co-created the series.
The intriguing new trailer for HBO’s upcoming drama series The Idol has just been released. Along with Sam Levinson, who oversees the Euphoria television series, and Reza Fahim, who is the show’s executive producer, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, stars in The Idol. Lily-Rose Depp will play a rising pop idol in the series who has a tangled bond with the head of a contemporary cult (The Weeknd). Other real-life musicians who appear on The Idol include Troye Sivan, Jennie Ruby Jane, Moses Sumney, and Da’Vine. Ramsey, Mike Dean, and Joy Randolph are featured as recurring characters. The remaining members of the primary cast of the show include Jane Adams, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Dan Levy, Suzanna Son, Hari Nef, and Hank Azaria.
The mesmerizing clip mimics Euphoria, but instead of venturing inside a suburban high school, it visits the seedier side of Los Angeles. The show’s stunning cinematography is first seen in the teaser when Depp’s Jocelyn is shown performing, practicing, and having a good time in Los Angeles. Jocelyn soon meets Tedros, a member of The Weeknd, who informs her “All the demons of the world congregate in Los Angeles. Never put your trust in anybody.” The rest of the video demonstrates how Jocelyn and Tedros’ connection will take both of them down a destructive path that might alter them forever.
In addition to serving as an executive producer alongside Ashley Levinson and Joseph Epstein, Levinson will direct the program. Epstein is both the series’ showrunner and a writer. Initially serving as both the series director and executive producer, Amy Seimetz quit the project when production was halted in April 2022 and it underwent what appeared to be a retooling. Late in May, the show’s filming continued. The Idol was supposed to be out in November, but as of the right moment, a release in 2023 looks more likely. Melanie Liburd, Tunde Adebimpe, Elizabeth Berkley, Nico Hiraga, Maya Eshet, make up the recurrent characters of the program. Other cast members include Tyson Ritter, Kate Lyn Sheil, Liz Caribel Sierra, Finley Rose Slater, and the late Anne Heche.
The Weeknd is a musician with four Grammy awards and over 75 million albums sold. The Weeknd has acted before, yet The Idol may be his first major role. The Weeknd has previously played himself in the Adam Sandler film Uncut Gems and co-wrote and provided the voice for an American Dad episode. The Weeknd has also been nominated for an Academy Award; in 2016, “Earned It,” which was included in Fifty Shades of Grey, earned him a nomination for Best Original Song.
Sometime in 2023, HBO will air the first episode of The Idol. Below is the most recent official teaser:
