The Weeknd has addressed the manufacturing troubles on his upcoming HBO collection The Idol, describing the present’s overhaul as a “problem”.
Set to premiere on the Cannes Movie Pageant later this month, The Idol follows aspiring pop singer Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) who falls into a fancy relationship with self-help guru and cult chief Tedros (Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd).
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The collection, created by Tesfaye, Reza Fahim and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, underwent an overhaul in April 2022 after a rough-cut was accomplished. This led to varied adjustments within the solid and crew, together with the departure of director Amy Seimetz.
In keeping with an interview with Tesfaye and Levinson with W Journal, the singer was involved the dynamic between his cult determine character and Jocelyn within the authentic reduce was “not as advanced” as that they had envisioned, which led to a “pivot”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gafzgRqqHJw
“Movie and TV is a brand new inventive muscle for me,” Tesfaye advised the outlet. “I don’t launch my music till I feel it’s nice. Why would this be any totally different?”
He added: “My secret talent is that I don’t panic. When everybody round me is fearful, I get very nonetheless. However I did panic once I misplaced my voice. I needed to relaxation and replicate and take into consideration The Weeknd and Tedros and all that had occurred with the present.
“I realised that I must know that I’ve made the most effective model of no matter I’m making. It was a problem to redo The Idol, and, in fact, I sacrificed my well being and residential to make it work. So, let’s say it comes out and it’s fucking horrible. I nonetheless know I did my very best. From what I’ve seen, the present is nice. The whole lot is a danger: While you’ve performed the most effective you possibly can, I’d name {that a} blissful ending. And I acquired my voice again.”
In a report on Rolling Stone earlier this yr, numerous nameless sources alleged that Levinson’s rewrites and reshoots added extra nudity and disturbing sexual content material which modified the present’s message.
HBO issued a press release in response to the report, which learn: “The preliminary strategy on the present and manufacturing of the early episodes, sadly, didn’t meet HBO requirements so we selected to make a change.
“All through the method, the inventive staff has been dedicated to making a protected, collaborative, and mutually respectful working atmosphere, and final yr, the staff made inventive adjustments they felt had been in the most effective curiosity of each the manufacturing and the solid and crew.”
The Idol is scheduled to premiere on June 4, 2023.