New Sexism Claims Behind HBO’s The Idol
In November 2021, HBO ordered a new drama television series, The Idol, which was created by The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, as well as Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson, notably the creator of the show Euphoria.
Trigger Warning: This article includes information on trauma and sexual assault allegations.
The series is about the relationship between a pop star named Jocelyn, (Lily-Rose Depp), and a cult leader named Tedros (The Weeknd). Amy Seimetz was originally going to direct the project but after some months of shooting, Levinson took over as director in April 2022. It was reported that Tesfaye was unhappy with the female perspective of Jocelyn, so reshoots were ordered.
The first trailer for The Idol came out in July. It teased a cast that includes Jennie Kim from the South Korean girl group Blackpink and also Troye Sivan. The series was advertised as being “from the gutters of Hollywood” and by the “sick & twisted minds of” Levinson and Tesfaye.
However, on Wednesday, Rolling Stone Magazine published an article that was based on interviews with thirteen members of the cast and crew. When talking about Levinson’s approach to the series, a production member states that “It was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show – and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better.” Another person has stated that “It was a show about a woman who was finding herself sexually, turned into a show about a man who gets to abuse this woman and she loves it.”
.@RollingStone did we upset you? pic.twitter.com/Uyx06lyRgx
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) March 1, 2023
An idea for an episode involved Lily-Rose’s character being told to carry an egg in her vagina, and if it dropped or cracked, Tesfaye’s character would refuse to “rape her” which would lead her to beg him to rape her. The reason it was not filmed was because of logistics and finding a way to shoot the scene realistically. When commenting on that, a source stated that “It was like sexual torture porn” while another commented “There is no point. They’re just trying to see how much of a reaction they can get.” After the Rolling Stone article was released, many compared The Idol to the work that Levinson has done on Euphoria. He has been criticized for the HBO show’s sexualized nature.
On the other hand, Lily-Rose defended Levinson and stated that she felt “supported” and “respected” when working with him. She stated that “Sam is, for so many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with. Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input, and opinions more valued. Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way – it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it. He hires people whose work he esteems and has always created an environment in which I felt seen, heard, and appreciated.”
The Rolling Stone article did not sit well with The Weeknd. On Wednesday night, Tesfaye posted a clip of the show on his Twitter and wrote “Rolling Stone, did we upset you?” The article and the attention surrounding it may lead to issues with the show’s release, which is scheduled to be in June.
