‘Exploitative’ HBO series ‘The Idol’ slammed: ‘I hope Lily-Rose Depp is OK’

Ethan Shanfeld SPOILER ALERT: This story contains minor spoilers from the second episode of HBO’s “The Idol,” titled “Double Fantasy,” now streaming on Max. If that sex scene at the end of Episode 2 of HBO’s “The Idol” made you uncomfortable, then Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye accomplished his goal. Tesfaye, who co-created “The Idol” with “Euphoria’s” Sam Levinson, spoke with GQ after the scene, which features his character Tedros verbally seducing pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp), sparked controversy online. “There’s nothing sexy about it,” Tesfaye told GQ. “However you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters. It’s all those emotions adding up to: this guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.”

Save your criticism for another day. The Weeknd has claimed that his “nasty” sex scene with Lily-Rose Depp in the second episode of HBO’s “The Idol” is more pathetic than sensual. “There’s nothing sexy about it,” the “Blinding Lights” megastar, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, told GQ in an interview published Tuesday.

In defense of Jocelyn. Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd have been sharing their thoughts about the backlash to The Idol, which premiered on HBO in June 2023.

Hank Azaria is defending his new HBO drama, , following controversy over the show's nude scenes.Appearing on the third hour of the  show Tuesday, Azaria said «every care was taken,» a sentiment the show's star, Lily-Rose Depp has echoed in her defense of the series.«I was mercifully left out of the nude shenanigans personally, but I can tell you that I know Lily-Rose [Depp], who was the center of all that mainly, has said publicly and privately how protected and taken care of and collaborated with and listened to and safe she felt,» Azaria said. «I know every care was taken, not just with those kind of scenes, but there are many kinds of sensitive scenes in this show, and I certainly felt safe that way and collaborated with.» stars Depp as Jocelyn, an up-and-coming pop singer who is pressured and influenced by Tedros (The Weeknd), a charismatic cult leader/self-help guru who promises Jocelyn everything and will stop at nothing to make her famous.Azaria also referenced a  expose which claimed that production of the series had «gone wildly, disgustingly off the rails,» calling the outlet's report «ridiculous.»«It seemed to be in that piece connected to what they called the 'chaotic nature of the set,' and how it was really haphazard, and that I can tell you is ridiculous… I understand how certain people could feel that way.

Love is in the air! Lily-Rose Depp and girlfriend 070 Shake (real name Danielle Balbuena) were all smiles while strolling hand in hand in New York City.

before it even premieres. Such was the case for The Idol, a raunchy new drama from Max, the streaming service . Before its debut at Cannes Film Festival, many wondered what The Idol would look like following the reported rewrites and reshoots from producers Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, which, , were even more explicit than the original, already provocative script. What does a sexy show look like when its creators set out to make it even sexier? When The Idol premiered on June 4, we got our answer: lots of nudity, graphic sex, and one very, very bad wig. What is this hairline, though? We’re first introduced to Tedros (The Weeknd) and his unnatural hairline when troubled popstar Jocelyn () and her backup dancer Dyanne () show up to his Hollywood hot spot to blow off some steam.

"The Idol" has only aired two episodes, but week to week has faced intense criticism and controversy, some of which occurred before the series even premiered. Lily-Rose Depp plays a rising pop star, struggling with a comeback who meets a self-help guru and cult leader (played by Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye), who begins to exert undue influence on her as she’s pulled into the underbelly of the music industry.

creepin‘” out several viewers during the already controversial show’s second episode on Sunday.Fans of musician The Weeknd — born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye — claimed they will never be able to look at the superstar again after a “nasty” sex scene featuring the pop singer aired on the new HBO drama.The eye-popping scene saw the singer, who plays club owner and cult leader Tedros, and Jocelyn (played by Lily-Rose Depp) getting intimate with each other — in a way that rubbed viewers wrong.One Twitter user, who recorded and posted the scene online, claimed that she would “never see The Weeknd the same after this.” At one point during the steamy scene, a deadpanned Tesfaye, 33, says that he wants to “f–kin stretch that tiny, little p—y” while 24-year-old Depp’s character pleasures herself. Several other social media users also agreed with the sentiment.

The Idol debuted earlier this month, and, in a meta moment, its fictional pop star main character is quickly eclipsed by a real-life pop star. Enter Blackpink’s Jennie Kim, who is credited under her stage name Jennie Ruby Jane in the show.Ever since the 27-year-old announced her acting debut would be in The Idol, one of the most  of recent memory, BLINKs have been holding their collective breath in anticipation.

SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from Episode 2 of The Idol on HBO.

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV Critic SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers from the second episode of HBO’s “The Idol,” titled “Double Fantasy,” now streaming on Max. On “The Idol,” Jocelyn just wants to be perfect. If only the show around her had such clarity of vision. As played by Lily-Rose Depp, the pop star Jocelyn spends part of the series’ second episode pushing herself through endless retakes of a music video shoot — long past the point at which the thing seems as good as it’ll ever be — in order to attain the crispness and clarity that lie just out of reach in her mind. Those sequences, with Aronofsky-movie-ready shots of bloody feet and the intriguing chatter among Jocelyn underlings that had been a highlight of the show’s first episode, create, for a time, a sense of Jocelyn’s reality, and what she has at stake.

William Earl SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from the second episode of HBO’s “The Idol,” titled “Double Fantasy,” now steaming on Max. The sophomore episode of “The Idol” has arrived, and following last week’s controversial and divisive series premiere, the stakes within the show have been raised. Troubled pop phenom Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) has a tortured video shoot, and then later invites her love interest, cult leader Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye) and some of his followers to her house for a night of debauchery. The sex, drugs and industry drama is amped up compared to the first episode in an hour of television sure to start online discourse.

Saturday Night Live’s Chloe Fineman is adding a new impersonation into her repertoire: Jocelyn from The Idol!

Chloe Fineman is giving another spot-on impersonation!

The much-hyped The Idol premiered on HBO this week, revealing a curious mixture of music industry satire and less successful eoritc thriller homage. The show is centered around Lily-Rose Depp's Jocelyn, a pop star whose lack of control in life drives her into the arms of a mysterious club owner Tedros (played by The Weeknd a.k.a.

created by 's Sam Levinson and starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp; the show premiered last month at the Depp stars as an aspiring pop star named Jocelyn who gets involved in an affair with The Weeknd's cult leader-like character Tedros.In a twist of comedy, Saturday Night Live star Fineman has taken on Lily-Rose Depp's performance. , which she shared to Instagram, the comedian wears a lacy black bra backwards, and is smoking multiple slim cigarettes at once.“I met this guy last night, his name is Tedros.

Despite the controversy, “The Idol” is still providing the bops.

The Weeknd has released two new songs, ‘World Class Sinner/I’m A Freak’ and ‘The Lure’ – featuring Lily-Rose Depp. Check them out below.Both tracks are taken from his highly-anticipated new series The Idol, which aired on HBO last Sunday (June 4) with the opening episode Pop Tarts & Rat Tails.For those who have already watched the first instalment of the series, the first of the new singles, ‘World Class Sinner/I’m A Freak’, will already be familiar.

It’s highly unlikely that you haven’t heard all about HBO’s new drama series, The Idol. Starring Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn and The Weeknd as Tedros, the highly anticipated show dropped on our screens on Sunday, 4th June. And already, it’s made quite the impression and impact on fans.

Johnny Depp is a “proud” dad.

The Weeknd paid $70 million for his Bel Air mansion back in 2021 and he’s put it to good use as it’s featured in his new HBO series The Idol!