The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp have responded to allegations suggesting that the production of their TV series, The Idol, is plagued with problems.
On Wednesday, the editors of Rolling Stone published a report in which 13 sources involved with HBO’s drama series claimed the budget and shooting schedule had skyrocketed, making the production messy and chaotic.
Production was halted in April 2022 when director Amy Seimetz, who shot approximately 80% of the show, left the project. Co-creator and co-writer Sam Levinson, best known for the HBO drama Euphoria, was brought in as director when filming resumed that May, rewriting and rewriting the entire show from scratch. It is said to have been filmed.
He discarded Seimetz’s “female lens” approach to the feature, in which Depp’s troubled pop star fell victim to The Weeknd’s cult leader, and threw out gratuitous nudity, explicit sexual content, and abuse. reportedly turned into a twisted love story featuring depictions of
In response, pop star, real name Abel Tesfaye, shared an unreleased clip from Idol where he and Depp’s characters Tedros and Joslyn criticized Rolling Stone, suggesting the publicist would cover it. I proposed.
In the clip, Tedros calls the publication “irrelevant” and claims “nobody cares”, while Jocelyn says it’s “past its prime”.
Captioning the footage, the Blinding Lights singer, who made her acting debut on the show, wrote, “@rollingstone, did we piss you off?”
Meanwhile, Depp defended Levinson in statements to multiple outlets, calling him “the best director I’ve ever worked with.”
“I have never felt more supported or respected in a creative space. My input and opinions are more valued than ever. Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way. “The most important thing for me is not just what his actors think of the piece, but how we play it,” she continued. I’ve always created an environment where I’ve hired people who do the work and feel seen, heard and appreciated.”
An HBO official also said, “Throughout the process, the creative team has been dedicated to creating a safe, supportive and mutually respectful working environment for the cast and crew.”
A release date for The Idol has not yet been announced.