Hello, Angels. The Idol, the super secretive new show from creators Sam Levinson, Abel “The Weeknd†Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim, is finally debuting on Max soon. For a long time, fans only had a logline to speculate about: a pop star desperate for a comeback falls into a tricky relationship with a cult leader. Now The Idol’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival has blessed fans with a plethora of red-carpet photos and first-look plot previews.
If Levinson’s success with Euphoria is anything to go on, The Idol will surely be the talk of the town (and Twitter) every Sunday night. The show’s stars are idols in their own right, and fans are especially excited to see Tesfaye and BLACKPINK’s Jennie make their acting debuts.
Wondering who your fave is playing on screen? As a primer for the shocking and sexy new show, here’s everything we know so far about the characters of The Idol. Stream the first episode of The Idol on Max on June 4.
Lily-Rose Depp is Jocelyn
Jocelyn is a pop star who, after her mother’s recent death, is recovering from a mental breakdown that led her to cancel her tour. Now trying to make a comeback, Jocelyn is surrounded by yes-men and people who want to take advantage of her. She doesn’t trust anyone until she meets Tedros (Tesfaye) and falls under his spell. Jocelyn is ambitious: she wants to become the “biggest touring act in the world.†How? Sex sells, Tedros says, and Jocelyn believes that is the key to her comeback. Jocelyn’s journey will focus on sexuality and control — deciding which parts of herself to commodify, which parts to share with Tedros and which parts to keep to herself.
Abel “The Weeknd†Tesfaye is Tedros
Tedros is a nightclub owner with a shadowy past who forms an instant connection with Jocelyn. He is also a self-help guru who runs his own “label†— which is L.A.-speak for “cult leader.†He quickly asserts control over Jocelyn in the bedroom, the studio, and every corner of her house — he brings his crew over and suggests he move in. Tedros becomes a major creative force in Jocelyn’s work, helping make her music and image sexier and darker to her team’s dismay. What’s this guy’s deal, anyway?
Troye Sivan is Xander
YouTuber-turned-popstar-slash-actor Sivan is playing Xander, Jocelyn’s best friend-turned-creative director. In the first episode, Xander is seen arguing against Jocelyn doing a topless shoot for an album cover. From one trailer, however, it looks like his vision changes, as he asks Tedros: “When was the last truly fucking nasty, nasty bad pop-girl?†Perhaps Xander will fall for Tedros as well.
Rachel Sennott is Leia
Sennott, who stole scenes and hearts in Shiva Baby and Bodies Bodies Bodies, is playing Jocelyn’s assistant Leia. From reviews, it sounds like Leia will be a confidant of sorts, with Jocelyn turning to her to share her attraction to Tedros. Leia also appears to be the show’s voice of reason, advising Jocelyn against seeing Tedros because he has “rapey†vibes, and saying in a trailer that “he’s brainwashed her.â€
Jane Adams is Nikki
Nikki is a powerful force in the show — she is Jocelyn’s record label representative, and a very vocal proponent of “sex sells.†She tells Xander to “stop cockblocking America†and let Jocelyn do a topless photoshoot. Other Nikki quotes include “mental illness is sexy†and “who would police those tits?†Nikki is the ultimate representation of the ruthless entertainment industry: at one point, she tells Jocelyn that she is more of a product than a person to her team.
Suzanna Son is Chloe
Red Rocket breakout star Suzanna Son is playing Chloe, a member of Tedros’ inner circle. Reviews also say that Chloe is considered Tedros’ “prodigy†— she is a singer seen playing a keyboard in promotional images. Will there still be room for Chloe after Tedros takes Jocelyn under his wing?
Jennie Ruby Jane is Dyanne
BLACKPINK star Jennie is making her acting debut in The Idol as Dyanne, one of Jocelyn’s backup dancers. It looks like Dyanne and Jocelyn are pretty close — they go clubbing together in the first episode, where Jocelyn meets Tedros, and a trailer shows them in a sauna together. But Jocelyn might want to watch her back: Dyanne sings for label executive Nikki and is immediately offered a demo. Will Dyanne upstage, or even replace, Jocelyn?
Dan Levy is Jocelyn’s publicist
In a clip shared by Tesfaye, Levy’s character is seen trying to talk Jocelyn into doing a cover feature in Rolling Stone. He appears to be untrusting of Tedros: “Might I ask, who are you?†he says in a trailer. As Jocelyn becomes enraptured by Tedros, Levy’s character will definitely be doing a lot of crisis management. It looks like he and Tedros will be battling for control over Jocelyn’s public image.
Hari Nef is Talia
Hari Nef, who has appeared in You and And Just Like That…, is playing Talia, a reporter at Vanity Fair with a stellar highlighter-orange bob. Jocelyn’s team hires Talia to write a comeback profile on her. Talia witnesses much of the chaos surrounding Jocelyn’s rebrand — when this profile gets published, it will surely break the internet.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph is Dee
Dee is Jocelyn’s dripped-out co-manager. From trailers, it looks like Dee will be a source of comic relief in the show — she tells Jocelyn to fuck everyone in America (figuratively), and “fuck ‘em good.†Dee also has a knack for giving pep talks. Hopefully Dee is looking out for Jocelyn.
Moses Sumney is Izaak
Singer-songwriter Moses Sumney plays Izaak, a member of Tedros’ inner circle. Little is known about his character so far, but in trailers Izaak is seen dancing, playing the piano, and recording in a studio with Jocelyn — and doing all the above shirtless.
Hank Azaria is Chaim
Chaim is one of Jocelyn’s managers, a brash personality who encourages her bad behavior. Reviews say he locks an intimacy coordinator in a bathroom during a photoshoot, in order to allow Jocelyn’s nudity.
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