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The Idol: HBO Drops Teaser for The Weeknd, Sam Levinson Drama Series

Published Sun, 17 Jul 2022 10:44:11 -0500

Eight months after it was announced that HBO had given a series green light to Sam Levinson (Euphoria), Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim's Tesfaye & Lily-Rose Depp-starring The Idol, viewers were treated to the first teaser on Sunday. Directed by Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience, Atlanta) and written by Levinson, Tesfaye, Fahim & Joe Epstein, the six-episode drama is set against the backdrop of the music industry and centers on a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol. Depp and Tesfaye are joined by Troye Sivan, Jennie Kim, Debby Ryan, Rachel Sennott, Steve Zissis, Hari Nef, and Juliebeth Gonzalez. In addition, Melanie Liburd, Tunde Adebimpe, Elizabeth Berkley, Nico Hiraga, Anne Heche, Maya Eshet, Tyson Ritter, Kate Lyn Sheil, Liz Caribel Sierra, and Finley Rose Slater are set to recur.

Listed as "Coming Soon" with the following clip first screened on Saturday night during The Weeknd's "After Hours til Dawn Tour," here is your first official extended look at the upcoming series (which is already grabbing our attention in much the same way as Hulu's early previews for Pam & Tommy did):

"When the multi-talented Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye, Reza Fahim, and Sam Levinson brought us 'The Idol', it was clear their subversive, revelatory take on the cult of the music industry was unlike anything HBO had ever done before. Shortly after, the brilliant duo of Joe Epstein and Amy Seimetz joined forces with the rest of the team, and this dream became a reality," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, at the time the series was first announced. Stemming from A24, Levinson, The Weeknd, Fahim, Epstein, Seimetz, Kevin Turen (HBO's Euphoria), Ashley Levinson (HBO's Euphoria), Nick Hall (HBO's The White Lotus), Sara E. White (Station 19), and Aaron Gilbert (for BRON) executive produce.