Three-time Grammy-winner The Weeknd‘s The Idol series is officially heading to HBO, according to Variety.
The singer-songwriter is broadening his artistic horizons by serving as co-creator, co-writer, executive producer and protagonist in the upcoming drama. The TV show is set against the backdrop of the music industry, centering on a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult (The Weeknd), who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.
Lily-Rose Depp (The King) will star as Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s love interest in the series directed and executive produced by Amy Seimetz (Euphoria, Atlanta). Suzanna Son (Red Rocket), Steve Zissis (Togetherness) and Troye Sivan (Spud) have been cast in regular roles. Melanie Liburd (Power Book II: Ghost), Tunde Adebimpe (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Elizabeth Berkley Lauren (Showgirls), Nico Hiraga (Booksmart) and Anne Heche (Return to Paradise) round out the cast.
Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson are sharing the role of co-creators, co-writers and executive producers alongside Tesfaye. Showrunner Joe Epstein will serve as writer and executive producer. Nick Hall, Sara E. White, Little Lamb’s Ashley Levinson and Kevin Turen, Bron Studios’ Aaron L. Gilbert complete the list of executive producers with A24.
“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,” said Executive Vice President of HBO Programming Francesca Orsi. “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.”
The Weeknd’s acting history
The project will be Tesfaye’s first experience as a protagonist of a film. The artist made his acting debut in a cameo for Uncut Gems. The musician also previously co-wrote and voiced a character in TBS’ American Dad, voiced more characters in Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken and acted in a Saturday Night Live skit in 2020.
