All great art comes at a price. Chaotic productions and script rewrites are part and parcel of Hollywood and aren’t necessarily something we should be afraid of. Such has been the fate of the HBO series ‘The Idol.’ There has been a lot of talk about how the making of this anticipated series was a disaster since Sam Levinson and The Weeknd took over, but it looks like it only added perfection to the making of the show.
Finally, Sam Levinson and The Weekend are setting the record straight about rigorous reshoots. They are also letting everyone know what went down behind the scenes. They also dish out why Amy Seimetz had to leave the project despite it being almost completed. Despite being in the eye of the storm, both Levinson and Weeknd appear ice-calm.
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Sam Levinson And The Weeknd On The Controversial Reshoots
For Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye, everything is a risk. While taking ‘The Idol‘ in a different creative route was a gigantic task, it didn’t make either Sam Levinson And Abel want to quit. Abel told W Magazine about striving for perfection in his art. He told the outlet, “I don’t release my music until I think it is great. Why would this be any different?”
He added, “It was a challenge to redo The Idol, and, in truth, I sacrificed my health and home to make it work. So, let’s say it comes out and it’s fucking horrible. I still know I did my absolute best. From what I’ve seen, the show is great. Everything is a risk: When you’ve done the best you can, I would call that a happy ending.”
Despite having the show almost ready, significant changes were made. The musician was concerned about the dynamic between his character Tedros and Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp. Sam Levinson also opened up about his collaborative process, not quitting no matter how tough things get. Enamored by Abel’s house, he asked its owner permission to film ‘The Idol.’
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The Weeknd Responsible For On-Set Anarchy
Rolling Stones recently released a report accusing the creators of creating a toxic work environment on-set, turning the show into a “rape fantasy” and “torture porn.” Initially, Amy Seimetz was hired to lead ‘The Idol.’ Her vision for the show was deemed as leaning too heavily on the “female perspective.” Soon, Sam Levinson and Abel took over as part of a new creative direction.
Despite its controversial production, ‘The Idol’ is finally ready to see the light of the day. It will debut at Cannes Film Festival 2023, screening Out Of Competition. Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd star as the pop star and the charismatic cult leader who form a dangerous co-dependent relationship. The series is scheduled to premiere on June 4, 2023, on HBO.
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