Cast And Crew Members Describe The Weeknd’s HBO Show The Idol As Degrading “Torture Porn,” HBO Responds

Yesterday we got news that the Weeknd is starring in a new movie with some hip and influential collaborators. Today comes a report suggesting his more imminent screen project is a mess. Abel Tesfaye is starring as a nightclub owner and cult leader alongside troubled pop star Lily-Rose Depp in HBO’s The Idol, a show Tesfaye developed with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, which also features music figures such as Jennie from Blackpink, Troye Sivan, Mike Dean, and Moses Sumney. It sounds like the show has gone off the rails and into some extremely dark places.

HBO has promoted Levinson and Tesfaye as the “sick and twisted minds” behind the “sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood.” According to a new Rolling Stone feature, a string of radical revisions have pushed the story’s salacious qualities to the extreme. One of the 13 cast and crew members interviewed for the article describes the current version of The Idol, which supposedly surpasses even Euphoria in terms of graphic and disturbing sexual content, as “torture porn.”

Last year director Amy Seimetz, of The Girlfriend Experience and She Dies Tomorrow, departed The Idol with roughly 80% of its six-episode series finished, at which point Levinson took over as showrunner, scrapped the whole thing, and started over. Sources suggest Seimetz was set up to fail, with tight deadlines, limited budgets, and unfinished scripts hindering what had been a “gripping” story. Multiple sources suggest Tesfaye’s dissatisfaction with the storyline was the reason for the shakeup. He reportedly was displeased with the story’s focus on Depp’s character and wanted to downplay the cult aspects of the series, which led to abandoning the story’s “feminist lens.” Per one source, “It was like the Weeknd wanted one show that was all about him — Sam was on board with that.” However, Tesfaye’s busy schedule as a musical artist made it difficult for the show to focus on him.

The revamped storyline reportedly subs out much of the music industry satire of the original show in favor of a love story several sources describe as degrading. One scene that was never shot reportedly involved Tesfaye’s character bashing Depp’s character in the face, to which she smiled and asked for more, giving Tesfaye’s character an erection. Another discarded scene from the rewrites was to include Depp’s character begging Tesfaye’s character to “rape” her. Sources were unclear which scenes would actually be included in the final version of the show due to constant revisions and reshoots.

“What I signed up for was a dark satire of fame and the fame model in the 21st century,” one production member told RS. “The things that we subject our talent and stars to, the forces that put people in the spotlight and how that can be manipulated in the post-Trump world… It went from satire to the thing it was satirizing.” Another source says the new plot “was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show — and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better.” Another damning quote: “It was a show about a woman who was finding herself sexually, turned into a show about a man who gets to abuse this woman and she loves it.”

UPDATE: A different set of anonymous sources tells TMZ that no one who talked to Rolling Stone has seen the final version of the show. According to TMZ’s report, Levinson was brought on to “right the ship” and most involved with the show believe he has — including Tesfaye, who reportedly is feeling “optimistic and grateful” about The Idol.

Additionally, a representative from HBO and Lily-Rose Depp have provided statements to Stereogum. Here is HBO’s statement:

The creators and producers of The Idol have been working hard to create one of HBO’s most exciting and provocative original programs. The initial approach on the show and production of the early episodes, unfortunately, did not meet HBO standards so we chose to make a change. Throughout the process, the creative team has been committed to creating a safe, collaborative, and mutually respectful working environment, and last year, the team made creative changes they felt were in the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew. We look forward to sharing The Idol with audiences soon.

Lily-Rose Depp shared this regarding Sam Levinson:

Sam is, for so many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with. Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued. Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way – it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it. He hires people whose work he esteems and has always created an environment in which I felt seen, heard, and appreciated.

Meanwhile Tesfaye has responded by posting a scene from The Idol to his Weeknd Instagram account with the caption, “@rollingstone did we upset you?” The clip features Tesfaye and Depp (both in character) debating with Dan Levy (appearing to play a publicist or manager) over the merits of a Rolling Stone cover story. “I think it’s worth pursuing,” Levy’s character says. “Rolling Stone? Aren’t they a little… irrelevant?” Tesfaye asks. “Yeah I feel like it might be kind of past its prime,” Depp nods along.

Watch that clip below.

If you or someone you know is undergoing sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.