‘The Idol’ Gets Five-Minute Standing Ovation After Cannes Premiere; Sam Levinson Gets Emotional In Speech
Sam Levinson’s The Idol, the new HBO series starring Lily-Rose Depp and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, received a five-minute-plus standing ovation after its world premiere out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night.
After the screening of the first two episodes of the series that debuts next month, Levinson, the Euphoria creator who co-created this one with Tesfaye and Reza Fahim, turned emotional addressing the crowd at the Grand Theatre Lumiere, where he was flanked by his two stars.
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“I am incredibly proud of this show, and I’m proud of the way we made this show,” he said, adding, “I feel like I gained a family .. I know that sounds a little culty but that’s the way it feels.”
Tesfaye, the pop star who is making is acting debut, also was wiping away tears.
The Idol stars Depp as Jocelyn, a super-ambitious Britney-esque character who has recently hit the big time in the dog-eat-dog world of showbiz. After a nervous breakdown derailed her last tour, she’s determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America.
The first two episodes shown tonight introduced Depp’s Jocelyn, who’s dissatisfied with her comeback record and wants to hold back on releasing it. Then she meet’s Abel’s character Tedros (Tesfaye), a nightclub impresario with a sordid past, in his club — it’s an instant hook up. He turns on the coercive control fast along with some 50 Shades-level BDSM and makes her remix her record that night, filling it with the sounds of her sexual panting.
Her label doesn’t go for the new remix and tells her to get it together; they’ve lost a ton of money over her breakdown and withdrawing from tour months earlier.
Abel’s character then plays hard to get, with glimpses of him surrounded by a kind of harem while he zaps one of the guys’ genitals with a taser. He then essentially tells Jocelyn he’s moving in.
Meanwhile, we learn Tedros is a “music manager” as well as a club owner. But Jocelyn’s live-in best friend/ assistant is already suspicious, and Jocelyn’s team and manager (Hank Azaria) have done a deep dive on his past — the dude is trouble but no one knows yet just how much trouble.
Troye Sivan also stars along with Dan Levy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Eli Roth, Hari Nef, Jane Adams, Jennie Ruby Jane, Mike Dean, Moses Sumney, Rachel Sennott, Ramsey and Suzanna Son.
RELATED: Cannes One To Watch: ‘The Idol’ Star Lily-Rose Depp Channels Old Hollywood To Play Series’ “Nasty, Bad Pop Girl”
Levinson called out Depp’s performance in his remarks tonight.
‘Abel and I, we count our lucky stars ever day that you are Jocelyn – you are fearless,” he said. “Thank you for taking this leap.”
Levinson, Tesfaye and Fahim executive produce with Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Joseph Epstein, Aaron L. Gilbert for Bron, and Sara E. White. Levinson also directs. The HBO series is produced in partnership with A24.
It debuts on HBO at 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 4.
Patrick Hipes contributed to this report.
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