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“How Could We Not Pull Inspiration…”: The Weeknd Clarifies If ‘The Idol’ Is Inspired By Britney Spears And Madonna

Sam Levinson’s The Idol’ created quite a stir in Hollywood due to the controversies that engulfed the series! Many debutants will appear on the small screen, including Lily Rose-Depp, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, and Blackpink’s Jennie. The story revolves around a pop star who wants to resurrect her career after an emotional breakdown. Tesfaye’s character meets Depp’s Jocelyn, and the two get involved in a raunchy relationship.

‘The Idol’ released many teasers before making the show officially available for streaming. During one of the teasers, we can hear Britney Spears’ 2007 mega-hit ‘Gimme More.’ Like Lily’s character, Jocelyn, Britney also went through public humiliation and an emotional breakdown. The imposed conservatorship in 2008 put her in a dark hole. Spears got out of conservatorship after 13 years in 2021. The media has speculated that Levinson’s drama also alludes to similar themes, and one of the protagonists has addressed the conjectures.

Related: The Weeknd Defends ‘The Idol’ Reshoots As People Label It “Twisted Torture P**n”

The Weeknd Says That ‘The Idol’ Is Not About Britney Spears At All

The Weeknd refutes the claims that 'The Idol' is inspired by Britney Spears' story
The Weeknd refutes the claims that ‘The Idol’ is inspired by Britney Spears’ story

The controversial HBO series ‘The Idol” is finally here, and Sam Levinson has not left any stone unturned to sensationalize the narrative! Lily Rose-Depp is getting praise for her portrayal of Jocelyn, a troubled star who gains her stardom at the cost of a raunchy relationship and joining a Wide Eyes Shut-esque cult. Britney Spears’ troubled life may have served as inspiration for the series.

During the New York Times interview, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye cleared the air around the rumors. The interviewer asked whether the cast had watched any Britney Spears documentaries. Abel said, “It’s not about Britney at all, but how could we not pull inspiration from Britney, from Madonna, from every pop star that’s gone through any kind of serious pain?”

The singer continued, “I’ve always called Lily one of the creators of the show because I couldn’t write Jocelyn until we knew who was going to play her. Once Lily got the role, she and Sam worked together on creating the character. What I could provide was the music industry around her — management, labels, touring, everything that I know.”

In Case You Missed: Is Blackpink’s Jennie Playing A Bisexual Character In The Lily Rose-Depp Starrer ‘The Idol’?

Lily Rose-Depp Admits Getting Inspiration From The Songstress

Britney Spears is one of the inspirations for Lily Rose-Depp's Jocelyn in 'The Idol'
Britney Spears is one of the inspirations for Lily Rose-Depp’s Jocelyn in ‘The Idol’

The Idol’ focuses on the journey of the troubled star, Jocelyn, and she is the center of the series. Lily Rose-Depp has done a fantastic job, which reverberated in the five-minute standing ovation and applause the cast received at the Cannes Film Festival. During the press conference at the coveted film festival, Depp answered questions about Britney Spears speculation.

She said, “We’re not telling anyone else’s story. I think something we wanted to do was make her feel simultaneously like a pop star of our time, but one that is in her own plane.” The actress admittedly drew inspiration from Sharon Stone in ‘Basic Instincts,’ and Jeanne Moreau.

But, during an E! News interview, Lily confessed that she did get inspired by the ‘Toxic’ singer. The actress said, “There was so much inspiration to be drawn from somebody like Britney Spears, who I adore, and all of the other incredible pop icons of our time.”

You Might Also Like To Read: “When Abel Would Be In Full Tedros Mode…”: Lily Rose-Depp Reveals Whether The Weeknd Lost His Temper During The Shoot Of Their HBO Series ‘The Idol’

Nishant Bhise
Nishant Bhisehttps://firstcuriosity.com/
Nishant Bhise is a Sub-Editor at FirstCuriosity. He has more than 2 years of experience in Entertainment content writing with the organization. Besides being a journalist and humanist, he loves cinema and intersectionality, basically everything that screams love, hope, and of course, Lady Gaga. Nishant loves and breathes popular culture, music, especially hip-hop and pop, and the royal family drama. Along with that, he takes great interest in the happenings in the technology world and politics. He is an LGBTQIA+ ally. Approach him with an apple juice to discuss Modern Family, Pose, and Schitt’s Creek.
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