Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of sexual abuse.
The upcoming HBO series, The Idol, has been the subject of controversy after anonymous crew members claimed that the show contains “disturbing sexual” and “physically violent scenes” between Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd’s characters. They also criticized director Sam Levinson, accusing him of making the content “exploitative”. However, Depp has defended Levinson, calling him “the best director” she has ever worked with. HBO has confirmed that the show has undergone “creative changes” and that they are committed to creating a safe and respectful working environment.
In April 2021, HBO announced a six-episode music-industry drama, The Idol, starring Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd. The show is created by Abel Tesfaye, Reza Fahim, and Sam Levinson, and written by Joe Epstein and Mary Laws. Amy Seimetz was announced as director in November 2021. However, crew members claim that Seimetz was set up to fail due to half-finished scripts, a tight schedule, and near-impossible expectations from HBO.
In April 2022, The Idol underwent a total reset, with Levinson taking over as director. According to Deadline, the creative team continued to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show, and they had aligned on a new creative direction. However, crew members claim that Levinson’s new direction for the show has weakened its overall message and contained disturbing sexual and physically violent scenes between Depp and The Weeknd’s characters.
According to a Rolling Stone article, cast and crew members have alleged that there were creative clashes and toxicity on the set, particularly after Levinson took over as director, replacing Amy Seimetz. Crew members claim that Levinson chipped away at the show’s original messaging, creating a distorted and jarring story that lost its overall impact. Levinson allegedly stopped sending scripts to HBO and certain department heads. Crew members also claim the working environment was no better than the first shoot, with constant changes to the script and divisions among Levinson’s inner circle, crew members from Seimetz’s shoot, and higher-ups at HBO.
HBO has denied these accusations and stated that the initial production did not meet their standards, leading to a change in direction. The statement also said that the creative team has been committed to creating a safe, collaborative, and mutually respectful working environment, and last year, the team made creative changes they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew. It’s unclear what will actually appear in the final product.
Despite the controversy, The Idol is set to premiere in 2023 on HBO. The show promises to provide a glimpse into the music industry, but it remains to be seen how the creative changes and allegations of toxicity will affect the final product.
