The Weeknd addresses ‘The Idol’ reshoots: “I sacrificed my health and home to make it work”

nme.com:

The Weeknd has addressed the production troubles on his upcoming HBO series The Idol, describing the show’s overhaul as a “challenge”.Set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival later this month, The Idol follows aspiring pop singer Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) who falls into a complex relationship with self-help guru and cult leader Tedros (Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd).The series, created by Tesfaye, Reza Fahim and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, underwent an overhaul in April 2022 after a rough-cut was completed.

This led to various changes in the cast and crew, including the departure of director Amy Seimetz.According to an interview with Tesfaye and Levinson with W Magazine, the singer was concerned the dynamic between his cult figure character and Jocelyn in the original cut was “not as complex” as they had envisioned, which led to a “pivot”.“Film and TV is a new creative muscle for me,” Tesfaye told the outlet. “I don’t release my music until I think it is great.

Why would this be any different?”He added: “My secret skill is that I don’t panic. When everyone around me is worried, I get very still.

But I did panic when I lost my voice. I had to rest and reflect and think about The Weeknd and Tedros and all that had happened with the show.“I realised that I need to know that I’ve made the best version of whatever I’m making.