As news goes around about creators Sam Levinson and The Weeknd taking over and reshooting scenes with more graphic and disturbing content, the already controversial HBO series, The Idol, is in talks to have its premiere at none other than the Cannes Film Festival. Series star and co-creator Abel Tesfaye a.k.a. The Weeknd has attended Cannes in the past and is hoping to reveal the “sick and twisted” series to French audiences, however its acceptance is still pending as it has not yet been screened for the festival, according to Variety.
Cannes is rarely a venue for television content to be showcased. However, a few shows have been shown at the prestigious event, which includes Twin Peaks: The Return and Top of the Lake: China Doll. A teaser for the series has been officially released, but it did not feature an air date except for announcing it for this year. When Levinson took over production, after former director Amy Seimetz left over creative differences, it was reported that a lot more dark and disturbing tone was inserted into the show. Snippets of quotes from the production crew discuss their disgust for what the show had evolved into.
Interestingly, as Rolling Stone broke the story of how out of hand the reshoots have gotten, The Weeknd would respond by posting a clip from the show in which the characters reference the Rolling Stone publication. In the clip, The Weeknd’s character goes on to say, “Rolling Stone? Aren’t they a little irrelevant? Rolling Stone has 6 million followers on Instagram, half of them probably bots. And Jocelyn has 78 million followers, all real I’d assume. So she does a photo shoot, she tags them, they get her followers. More money for Rolling Stone, nothing for Jocelyn.”
One notable person who has come to the defense of Levinson is the female star Lily-Rose Depp, whose character is exposed to the seedy underbelly of fame and cults, though it is not known how much the actress would partake in the shocking new scenes. “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.”