Sophia Michaels
HBO’s “The Idol” is shaping up to be an exciting ride, and it appears the making of the series has been just as wild. Recent reports have revealed the drama that has taken place behind the scenes, with crew members claiming that the show has taken a disturbing new direction due to the new director Sam Levinson. Because of this, the show still does not have an official release date.
On October 6, 2022, HBO released a third teaser for The Weeknd (Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) and “Euphoria” creator Levinson’s cult drama featuring Lily-Rose Depp, Dan Levy, and Blackpink’s Jennie Kim. The clip showed The Weeknd’s character warning “Los Angeles is where all the monsters of the world come to gather. Trust no one,” before whispering in Depp’s character’s ear, saying, “Just me.”
In addition to Depp and The Weeknd, the cast also includes Levy, Kim, Debby Ryan, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Hank Azaria, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Jane Adams. Troye Sivan, Steve Zissis, and Juliebeth Gonzalez are also set to have roles in the limited series. Kim said in a statement that she “found the script very intriguing, so I wanted to be part of the series,” adding that she will “work hard” for viewers.
However, the show has gone through a few changes since April 2022. Variety reported that director Amy Seimetz exited “The Idol” amid creative differences and Suzanna Son would not return either. HBO addressed the new adjustments in a statement saying: “‘The Idol”s creative team continues to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show and they have aligned on a new creative direction. The production will be adjusting its cast and crew accordingly to best serve this new approach to the series.”
Levinson was brought in and reportedly scrapped Seimetz’s nearly finished version — which had cost between $54 and 75 million — and embarked on a complete rewrite and reshoot. According to Rolling Stone’s interviews with production members, the show has become much more disturbing and violent under Levinson’s direction. Sources also said Levinson’s scripts contained a number of physically and sexually violent scenes between Depp and The Weeknd’s characters. Some of the most violent scenes were never filmed.
Production members also told Rolling Stone that many cast members were let go and many crew members did not return for Levinson’s remake, and described the shift as “very scarring.” It was also reported that The Weeknd was not happy with the state of the show under Seimetz and wanted it to be more focused on his character.
In response to the reports, Depp defended Levinson calling him “the best director” she has worked with and said she has never “felt more supported or respected in a creative space.” A rep for HBO also told POPSUGAR that “the creative team has been committed to creating a safe, collaborative, and mutually respectful working environment.”
Although there is still no official release date for “The Idol,” fans can look forward to seeing Depp, The Weeknd, Levy, Kim, Debby Ryan, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Hank Azaria, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jane Adams, Troye Sivan, Steve Zissis, and Juliebeth Gonzalez in the series. — Additional reporting by Sabienna Bowman and Eden Arielle Gordon.
