The Weeknd is heading to HBO for his first leading role in a new series The Idol from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.
“From the sick and twisted minds of Sam Levinson and Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye,” this new series focuses on a self-help guru who becomes entangled with a rising pop star played by Lily-Rose Depp. The trailer shows off a dazzling display of drugs, sex and intense rehearsals and promises that the show will be a raunchy look into the music industry. Levinson will direct each of the six episodes himself after the previous director Amy Seimetz stepped away. The series also features a collection of stars like Troye Sivan, Debbie Ryan, Melanie Liburd, Rachel Sennott, Blackpink’s Jennie, and more.
This will mark The Weeknd’s first time as a leading actor. Previously, he portrayed a fictionalized version of himself in the critically-acclaimed Uncut Gems and voiced himself in an episode of American Dad! as well as numerous voices on an episode of The Simpsons.
His role in Uncut Gems led to his connection with producer Oneohtrix Point Never who later produced throughout the singer’s new two projects. 0PN would later drop a remix of the intro song to The Weeknd’s 2022 album Dawn FM.
When the series was first announced, HBO released a statement highlighting Levinson and The Weeknd’s captivating new series.
“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.”
Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO programming
Its release date has yet to be confirmed, however with the teaser trailer already unveiled, fans shouldn’t expect to wait too long to see The Weeknd in action.
This new endeavor will cap off another chart-topping year for the Toronto hitmaker. His latest album Dawn FM continues to dominate the charts and he just kicked off his tour After Hours Before Dawn at the top of the month (July). With The Idol coming soon, The Weeknd is already on his way to becoming music and film’s next top idol.
Watch the trailer for HBO’s The Idol below!
