Michael Buckner for Variety
The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp shut down the Croisette to show off the price of fame — and plenty of steamy storylines — at the Cannes premiere of “The Idol” on Monday.
Drawing direct parallels to superstar meltdowns like the one suffered by Britney Spears, the HBO Original series finally came to light during a crowded gala screening.
Revenge porn pics of bodily fluids on Depp’s face, masturbation with ice cubes, crooked nightclub owners and vile Hollywood sycophants populated the first two episodes of the already controversial series.
The brainchild of “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, the series tests poor Depp as a pop phenom recovering from a psychotic breakdown after the death of her mother. A pack of bloodsucking masters (fabulously played by Jane Adams, Hank Azaria and Eli Roth) are desperate to release a new album and start touring. While letting off steam at a seedy Hollywood dance venue, she meets Tesfaye as the owner and a shoulder to grind – who soon reveals much bigger ambitions for her career and bottom line. Tesfaye’s character, Tedros, is a modern-day cult leader. The supporting cast includes Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Dan Levy, Rachel Sennott and more.
Brief respites from his constant sexual and financial exploitation come in the form of his best friend/assistant (Sennott) and adviser played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph – but Depp’s character is a lost lamb, seeking to be seen as an artist and a woman. Tedros de Tesfaye is only too happy to intervene.
Similar to Levinson’s “Euphoria,” the production of “The Idol” was met with reports of on-set turmoil due to a poor work environment, last-minute script rewrites, and budget issues. Original director Amy Seimetz left the series in April 2022 with several episodes already filmed due to a change in creative direction. Reports at the time claimed that Tesfaye felt the series leaned too much towards a “female perspective”, although the pop star denied such claims.
In a statement sent to Variety at the time, HBO pointed out that “the initial approach to the series and the production of the first episodes, unfortunately, did not meet HBO standards, so we chose to make a change”.
“Throughout the process, the creative team was committed to creating a safe, collaborative and mutually respectful work environment, and over the past year the team made some creative changes that they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew,” the network added, refuting claims that the production was a toxic work environment.
Defending Levinson against those same charges, Depp said in a statement to Variety“Sam is, for many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with. I have never felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued. Working with Sam is a real collaboration in every way – what matters to him, more than anything, not just what his actors think of the work, but how we feel while playing it.He hires people whose work he values and has always created a environment in which I felt seen, heard and appreciated.
“The Idol” is set to premiere June 4 on HBO.