The American magazine Variety has confirmed that the series “The Idol”, produced and co-scripted by The Weeknd, has been officially commissioned by HBO. According to the publication, the owner of “Blinding Lights” will star in six episodes of the production, which is based on the music industry.
The screenplay centers on a self-help guru and leader of a “modern cult” who engages with a rising pop idol. In addition to Abel, Lily-Rose Depp will also star in the episodes directed by Amy Seimetz.
Variety has also published eight other confirmed names in the cast, among them singer and actor Troye Sivan, Suzanna Son and Steve Zissis, who will have regular roles on the series. Melanie Liburd, Tunde Adebimpe, Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Nico Hiraga and Anne Heche were also cast in the production and will make recurring appearances.
Suzanna Son, Melanie Liburd, Tunde
Adebimpe, Steve Zissis, Troye Sivan, Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Nico Hiraga, and Anne Heche have all been cast in #TheIdol.🖇 https://t.co/i0vZ7z6BBK pic.twitter.com/sqQLTrzbj1
— The Idol Updates (@theidolupdates) November 22, 2021
“When multi-talented Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye, Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson brought us ‘The Idol,’ it was clear that their subversive and revealing vision of the music industry cult was unlike anything HBO had ever done. Shortly thereafter, the brilliant duo of Joe Epstein and Amy Seimetz joined forces with the rest of the team, and that dream came true”, said Francesca Orsi, vice president of HBO, for Variety.
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In other releated news, the Grammy Awards‘ total snubbing about The Weeknd’s work on this year’s awards left permanent marks on the singer and not even his record label submitted his songs to the award, which is considered the world’s top music industry award.
This August, in an interview with GQ magazine, The Weeknd itself confirmed its desire to no longer include his songs and albums in the Grammy Awards and the Canadian singer’s record label, Republic Records, decided to accept his wishes and also not submitted The Weeknd’s work to the Grammy Awards.
