{"id":577360,"date":"2023-06-05T06:41:13","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T03:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-idol-stars-defend-controversial-show-we-always-knew-we-were-going-to-make-something-provocative\/"},"modified":"2023-06-05T06:41:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-05T03:41:13","slug":"the-idol-stars-defend-controversial-show-we-always-knew-we-were-going-to-make-something-provocative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-idol-stars-defend-controversial-show-we-always-knew-we-were-going-to-make-something-provocative\/","title":{"rendered":"#\u2018The Idol\u2019 Stars Defend Controversial Show: \u201cWe Always Knew We Were Going to Make Something Provocative\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n The stars of HBO\u2019s controversial new drama The Idol<\/em> are defending the show as it makes its premiere Sunday night.<\/p>\n

\n The series<\/a>, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last month, stars Lily Rose-Depp as Jocelyn, a pop star trying to make a comeback after a nervous breakdown, and Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weekend) as a nightclub manager and self-help guru working with her to achieve said comeback. It was created by Sam Levinson (Euphoria<\/em>), Tesfaye and Reza Fahim.<\/p>\n

\n Early on, the promotional materials for the show leaned into its edginess, calling Levinson and Tesfaye \u201cthe sick & twisted minds\u201d behind \u201cthe sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood\u201d in a teaser. But then the show became the subject of unfavorable attention when Rolling Stone<\/em> published<\/a> an expose calling the show a \u201crape fantasy\u201d and alleging that it went \u201cwildly, disgustingly off the rails\u201d after cast changes and the departure of original director Amy Seimetz.<\/p>\n

\n In her review of the show, The Hollywood Reporter<\/em> critic Lovia Gyarkye noted that in one scene, a label executive is arguing with Jocelyn\u2019s creative director, who\u2019s against her baring her breast for the album cover shoot: \u201cShe tells him to \u2018stop cockblocking America.\u2019 That brief moment announces the show\u2019s intention and puts a metaphorical hand up at incoming haters: Sex sells, and\u00a0The Idol<\/em>\u00a0revels in that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n In an interview published<\/a> by The New York Times<\/em> over the weekend and conducted at Cannes last month, Tesfaye, Depp and Levinson defended the series and urged people to watch with an open mind, but noted that they never intended to make a family show.<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe always knew that we were going to make something that was going to be provocative and perhaps not for everyone. That was a draw for all of us,\u201d said Depp, the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. \u201cI don\u2019t think any of us were interested in making anything that was going to be, you know, fun for the whole family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n Tesfaye agreed with that sentiment.<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWhen I first started making music, it was the exact same thing,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was provocative, and I knew it was going to be tough for people. And a lot of people didn\u2019t like it. Not to compare it, but I feel that this is kind of like that again. This is not going to be for everybody, and that\u2019s fine. We\u2019re not politicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n The Idol<\/em> also features a great deal of nudity as well as a Black man (Tesfaye) as the villain. Levinson, Depp and Tesfaye also defended those choices.<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThere are many women who have felt exploited by the nudity they\u2019ve done and have thought, I didn\u2019t feel great about that,\u201d Depp said. \u201cBut I\u2019m comfortable performing in that way, I enjoy it. It informed the character. In the conversation around the risqu\u00e9 aspects, there\u2019s the implication that it\u2019s something being consistently imposed upon women. Obviously, that has been true a lot historically.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n Levinson added that the nudity adds to the audience\u2019s perception that Jocelyn is a victim.<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI believe people will underestimate Jocelyn as a character because of how exposed she is,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\n As for stereotypes around race, Levinson said that viewers need to watch to see how the storyline plays out.<\/p>\n

\n \u201cPlaying into those stereotypes in the first couple of episodes is important for the journey and the arc and the emotional experience,\u201d Levinson said. \u201cIt has a way of disorienting us because of our knowledge of who we are, and what has happ<\/a>ened in the world. I think the audience will slowly begin to see who the true villain of the piece is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n Added Tesfaye: \u201cThey just need to see the whole show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n The Idol<\/em> airs Sundays on HBO and streams on Max.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n