‘The Idol’: Abel Tesfaye Says “There’s Nothing Sexy” About His Character’s Sex Scenes: “You Feel Embarrassed For The Characters”

Alyson Stoner is opening up about the harsh realities of coming out as queer in Hollywood.

The Weeknd has shared a cover of John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’ that’s been used in HBO’s new show The Idol.Ahead of the show’s fourth episode, The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, shared a version of Lennon’s classic song that appears in the show. The Idol is made by Euphoria-creator Sam Levinson and follows the plot of a pop star (Lily-Rose Depp) who develops a controversial relationship with self-help guru and cult leader Tedros (Abel Tesfaye).The cover was first teased back in April and the musician performed it in Norway earlier this week.You can check out the song here:Last week, The Weeknd and BLACKPINK‘s Jennie shared a new song that appears in The Idol – listen to ‘One Of The Girls’ below.Depp also appeared on two new The Weeknd songs ‘World Class Sinner/I’m A Freak’ and ‘The Lure’ from the show’s soundtrack, which were released earlier this month.The first single taken from the HBO drama was titled ‘Double Fantasy’, and hears The Weeknd (now going by his birth name Abel Tesfaye) team up with Future.

Lily-Rose Depp and girlfriend 070 Shake’s relationship is heating up, a source exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly.

The Weeknd and BLACKPINK‘s Jennie have shared a new song that appears in The Idol – listen to ‘One Of The Girls’ below.The Idol is made by Euphoria-creator Sam Levinson and follows the plot of a pop star (Lily-Rose Depp) who develops a controversial relationship with self-help guru and cult leader Tedros (Abel Tesfaye).Depp also appeared on two new The Weeknd songs ‘World Class Sinner/I’m A Freak’ and ‘The Lure’ from the show’s soundtrack, which were released earlier this month.Now, Tesfaye has teamed up with Jennie, who also appears in The Idol as one of Depp’s backup dancers, Dyanne, for a new track.Listen to ‘One Of The Girls’ below.The first single taken from the HBO drama was titled ‘Double Fantasy’, and hears The Weeknd (now going by his birth name Abel Tesfaye) team up with Future. Like ‘The Lure’, the collaborative single featured production from The Weeknd and Mike Dean, and arrived accompanied by a music video that featured clips from the show.More recently the singer-songwriter and actor released the single ‘Popular’, which saw him join forces with Playboy Carti and queen of pop, Madonna.

Everyone has something to say about “The Idol.” Since even before it premiered, the Max series — the “sick and twisted” brainchild of Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson — has been slammed for “too graphic” sex scenes and excessive displays of “breast and ass,” as well as a particularly “nasty” steamy segment that Tesfaye was forced to defend.The “torture porn” drama, which premiered with 900,000 viewers, follows Jocelyn, portrayed by Lily-Rose Depp, a troubled pop star who becomes increasingly enraptured with the mysterious, rat-tail-donning Tedros (Tesfaye). Now, even a famed snack brand is trying to crumble the show’s cookies.After it was prematurely reported that the show would be canceled after only one season, the official Oreo account replied with more fire than one might expect from milk’s favorite cookie.

The Weeknd definitely pushes himself to the limit when working.

The Weeknd is speaking out about all the criticism surrounding The Idol.

Abel «The Weeknd» Tesfaye said this week he «very much» expected a negative reaction to Controversy surrounding the show and its production first surfaced several months before the first episode's premiere, when sources told  that the project had gone «wildly, disgustingly off the rails.» Most recently, referred to the third episode as «bizarrely edited» and «hackily written.» Tesfaye said he expected all of this criticism, but was not fazed by it. «It's almost educational, that this is what comes with being incredibly famous,» Tesfaye told of his show's treatment of fame. «You're surrounded by people who you're not sure what their true intentions are, even if it seems like they're good.

After its HBO debut, The Idol quickly made waves for its controversial sex scenes and cringy storytelling.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music It is an interesting time to be Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. the Weeknd. Last summer, he was criss-crossing North America on his “After Hours Til Dawn” stadium tour while simultaneously doing reshoots for his HBO series, “The Idol.” This summer, he’s watching the reactions to the deeply controversial show while criss-crossing Europe on the second leg of the tour, which will move to Latin America and Asia into next year. He’s also doing press for the Emmy campaign for his HBO concert documentary released earlier this year, “The Weeknd: Live at SoFi Stadium.” All the while, he’s been recording, as he always is. Despite, and because of, the polarized reactions to the first episodes of “The Idol,” the show has scored big ratings and even bigger conversation.

Sam Levinson reveals how he managed to convince The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, to play as creep on “The Idol”.

“The Idol” continues to ruffle viewers’ feathers.

Katcy Stephan SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from the second episode of HBO’s “The Idol,” titled “Daybreak,” now streaming on Max. The third episode of “The Idol” is here, and it further pushes the show’s already-salacious story, with a disturbing scene at the end that illustrates how thoroughly Jocelyn is under Tedros’ control. “Daybreak” opens with the rat-tailed Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye) taking Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) out for a shopping spree and performing oral sex on her in the backseat of a convertible driven by her assistant Leia (Rachel Sennott). As he picks out skimpy clothing for Jocelyn to try on, Tedros threatens a sales associate: “Let me catch you looking at her again, I’ll fucking drag you down Rodeo. I’ll fucking curb-stomp you.”

William Earl After the third episode of “The Idol,” series co-creator Sam Levinson described how he developed the creepy, awkward and ambitious cult leader Tedros played by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye. “We’re in Abel’s house, we’re talking it through, imagining the character Tedros,” Levinson said, in the series’ “Crafting the Family” featurette on Max. “And I would say, ‘Imagine you have all of the dreams that you have of what you want to do in life, in terms of music, and your career, all of the aspirations — but imagine you have none of the talent. That’s who this character is.'” Tesfaye described the character similarly in a recent interview.

Ever since “The Idol” premiered earlier this month, there’s been much critique about its sexual material, including a scene in the premiere episode where pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) decides to flash her nipples during a photoshoot, despite the nudity rider in her contract.

Jon Burlingame Three months from now, the Weeknd might just have an Emmy to place alongside his four Grammys and his Oscar nomination. That’s because he joins a dozen other music superstars — including Dolly Parton, Common, Ryan Tedder, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Meshell Ndegeocello — who have entered work in this year’s Emmy competition. Voting began yesterday in the seven music categories. Approximately 550 members of the Academy’s music branch (composers, songwriters, music directors, orchestrators or music supervisors) will cast ballots, although viewing the hundreds of entries before voting ends on June 26 is an impossible task, Academy officials privately concede.

viewer tweeted. But, to see all the pearl-clutching on social media, you’d think that “The Idol” was the most salacious material to ever air on a TV drama. In reality, this is the same song and dance that we’ve seen many times before. And, at least when other shows featured this kind of material, they were less boring than “The Idol.” When the steamy historical romance “Bridgerton” became a Netflix sensation in 2021 – and launched Rege-Jean Page into stardom – social media was also abuzz about that show’s steamy scenes.

Selome Hailu HBO made history in 2018 for hiring Alicia Rodis on “The Deuce,” making her the first-ever intimacy coordinator on a major U.S. production. Then, in the June 4 premiere episode of HBO’s “The Idol,” a fictional intimacy coordinator got locked in a bathroom for doing his job. In the scene, pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) is shooting photos for her album cover when she pulls open her robe to reveal her nipples. Immediately, the mousy and neurotic intimacy coordinator on set (played by Scott Turner Schofield) steps in to remind the photographer (Eddy Chen) that the nudity rider in Jocelyn’s contract only permits the depiction of her “side-boob, under-boob and side flank.” The contract has been reviewed by “the label and her people,” he says, so any changes made require a 48-hour delay of the photo shoot, despite that Jocelyn chose to show her breasts without being directed to.

Not so fast. HBO has responded to a report in New York Post’s Page Six, citing sources, that the music drama series would likely not return for a second season.

Lily-Rose Depp is celebrating the love of her life: girlfriend 070 Shake!

The Weeknd‘s The Idol is reportedly not coming back for a second season.