{"id":33181,"date":"2023-05-24T17:04:43","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T15:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1795029"},"modified":"2023-05-25T07:57:11","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T05:57:11","slug":"the-idol-controversy-explained-and-the-weeknds-response","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/the-idol-controversy-explained-and-the-weeknds-response\/","title":{"rendered":"The Idol controversy explained and The Weeknd\u2019s response"},"content":{"rendered":"

The HBO drama series is from Euphoria showrunner Sam Levinson and The Weekend. <\/p>

By Lewis Knight\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 24 May 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd\u2019s controversial new series, The Idol,<\/a> will hit HBO Max in June.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sam Levinson-produced series centres on Lily-Rose Depp as a troubled popstar, Jocelyn, who falls prey to cult leader Tedros (The Weeknd).<\/span><\/p>\n

Also starring in the series are a host of acting and music names including Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Jennie Kim, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Da\u2019Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, Ramsey, and Hank Azaria.<\/p>\n

However, The Idol has been stirring up controversy for months, and its recent premiere at Cannes Film Festival on Monday (22nd May) only fanned the flames, with many<\/span> critics condemning the show as \u201cshameful\u201d and \u201ccorrupt\u201d<\/a> and comparing it to pornography.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fans of Levinson\u2019s hit series Euphoria<\/a> will no doubt have been expecting some explicit content, but he seems to have dramatically ramped up scenes of that nature in The Idol.<\/p>\n

So, what is the controversy behind the upcoming series The Idol? Read on for everything you need to know.<\/p>

Why did Amy Seimetz leave The Idol?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In April 2022, Deadline<\/a> reported that Tesfaye was unhappy <\/span>with the \u201cfemale perspective\u201d of the show, despite episodes worth of content having already been filmed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seimetz, who was set to direct all episodes of the series, left, as did actress Suzanna Son,\u00a0<\/span>and the show went into a state of major creative overhaul.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Idol\u2019s 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. We look forward to sharing more information soon,\u201d an HBO spokeswoman told Deadline at the time.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the controversy with The Idol?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""The\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The cast of The Idol.<\/span><\/figcaption> HBO\/YouTube<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The Idol is an upcoming drama series on HBO from music artist The Weeknd, Reza Fahim, and Euphoria showrunner Sam Levinson.<\/p>\n

The Weeknd, full name Abel Tesfaye, is also the leading man of the drama as a cult leader in the entertainment industry, with Lily-Rose Depp portraying one of his followers and an aspiring singer.<\/p>\n

The series had been previously directed by Amy Seimetz with Depp\u2019s role as the key protagonist, however, Seimetz exited the project.<\/p>\n

Last year, a statement from HBO said (via The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>): \u201cThe Idol\u2019s creative team continues to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show and they have aligned on a new creative direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe production will be adjusting its cast and crew accordingly to best serve this new approach to the series. We look forward to sharing more information soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Sam\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Sam Levinson.<\/span><\/figcaption> Leon Bennett\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Subsequently, Rolling Stone\u00a0reported on the production and alleged that after Seimetz\u2019s departure, executive producer Sam Levinson scrapped the nearly completed shoot for the \u201c$54-75 million project\u201d and rewrote and reshot the entire series.<\/p>\n

Rolling Stone claims that other individuals in the production felt alienated by Levinson and Tesfaye\u2019s changes, with them dubbing some scenes \u201ca rape fantasy\u201d and said that some shoots \u201cwent from satire to the thing it was satirizing\u201d.<\/p>\n

A source told the publication that Tesfaye wanted to \u201ctone down the cult aspect of the storyline and pivot into something else entirely, dropping the \u2018feminist lens\u2019 through which the show was being told as a result\u201d.<\/p>\n

Since the report, Rolling Stone appeared to be called out directly by Tesfaye himself.<\/p>\n

How has The Weeknd responded to The Idol controversy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\""The\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The Weeknd as Tedros in The Idol.<\/span><\/figcaption> HBO\/YouTube<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The Weeknd took to Twitter and tagged Rolling Stone with a video of a scene from The Idol featuring himself and Depp opposite actor Dan Levy as an agent, discussing the magazine itself as they contemplate a magazine shoot.<\/p>\n

In the scene, Tesfaye\u2019s character describes the magazine as \u201cirrelevant\u201d.<\/p>\n

The singer-actor Tweeted: \u201c.<\/span>@RollingStone<\/a><\/span> did we upset you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

.@RollingStone<\/a> did we upset you? pic.twitter.com\/Uyx06lyRgx<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd) March 1, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>