CANNES (Reuters) – “The Idol,” HBO’s much-hyped new series from the creator of “Euphoria” that bills itself as the “sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood,” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
Travis Scott, Stella Maxwell and Julia Fox, wrapped in a plastic gown and wearing dark lipstick, joined Lily-Rose Depp and Abel Tesfaye, the stars of the show, on the red carpet, surrounded by screaming fans who packed the Croisette boulevard.
Depp – whose famous father, Johnny Depp, also had a premiere at the festival – stars as Jocelyn, a pop singer trying to stage a sexier-than-ever comeback after suffering a nervous breakdown.
The series marks the first foray by Tesfaye, better known as megastar The Weeknd, into acting. He stars as Tedros, a Los Angeles nightclub impresario who is Jocelyn’s love interest.
Jennie Kim, a member of the popular K-pop girl band BLACKPINK, is also making her acting debut in the show, under the stage name Jennie Ruby Jane. Dan Levy, Hank Azaria and Anne Heche, who died in 2022, are also set to appear in the series.
Tesfaye co-created and co-wrote the series with Sam Levinson, who was behind the hit HBO teen drama “Euphoria.”
In an interview with W magazine, Levinson recalled Tesfaye’s pitch for the series: “If I wanted to start a cult, I could.”
Tesfaye meant that his fans were so loyal and devoted that they would follow him anywhere, explained Levinson.
“That was the germ of the idea for ‘The Idol’: what happens when a pop star falls for the wrong guy and no one speaks up.”
The Weeknd is known for songs like “Blinding Lights” and “Starboy,” while Depp played Isadora Duncan in 2016’s “The Dancer,” which screened in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard category.
The series will air on June 4.
(Reporting by Miranda Murray, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
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