After taking over the music industry, The Weeknd is set to take over our TV screens. The singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, is set to star in and co-write a new six-episode cult drama [1] series for HBO titled The Idol. Lily-Rose Depp is the show's leading lady. According to Variety, Depp will be playing the role of the pop singer [2], while The Weeknd will take on the role of the club owner/cult leader who has a complex relationship with Depp's character.
Other cast members joining the show [3] include Troye Sivan [4], Suzanna Son, Steve Zissis, and Juliebeth Gonzalez as series regulars. Maya Eshet, Tyson Ritter, Kate Lyn Sheil, Liz Sierra, and Finley Rose Slater have also been recently added to some of the recurring roles. The premise of the show alone already has us sold, and we can't wait to see the series come to life. Currently, a release date hasn't been set, but we're crossing our fingers that it'll premiere sometime in 2022. Read ahead for everything we know about the series so far.
The Idol Plot
According to the official tagline from Deadline, the series "follows a female pop singer who starts a romance with an enigmatic LA club owner who is the leader of a secret cult [5]."
The Idol Production Team
The Weeknd will cowrite and executive produce the show alongside his creative producer Reza Fahim and Euphoria [6] creator Sam Levinson. The three will also serve as creators of the show alongside Joseph Epstein as showrunner. Amy Seimetz will direct the series.
The Idol Cast
So far, Lily-Rose Depp [7] has been confirmed to star as the female lead opposite of The Weekend. Depp will be playing the part of a female pop singer, while The Weeknd stars as a club owner who is also the leader of the show's cult.
Troye Sivan [8], Suzanna Son, Steve Zissis, and Juliebeth Gonzalez have been cast as additional series regulars [9]. Melanie Liburd [10], Tunde Adebimpe, Nico Hiraga [11], Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Anne Heche, Maya Eshet, Tyson Ritter, Kate Lyn Sheil, Liz Sierra and Finley Rose Slater will all be recurring actors. At this time, their roles are still unclear.