The Idol

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1. #001

   Director Amy Seimetz left the project on April 25, 2022, during a creative overhaul of the series. Co-creator Sam Levinson took over directing duties.

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2. #002

   On April 25, 2022, Variety reported that the series would be reworked and subjected to significant reshoots, with changes to the cast and crew due to a shift in creative direction. Although reports at the time claimed co-creator and actor Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye felt the series leaned too heavily on the "female perspective," Tesfaye denied such claims.

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3. #003

   Similar to Sam Levinson's series Euphoria (2019), the production of The Idol was met with reports of chaos on set, including a toxic work environment, last-minute script rewrites and budget problems.

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4. #004

   On August 30, 2023, it was reported that HBO had cancelled the series after one season, following overwhelmingly negative reviews and controversy over its working conditions.

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5. #005

   Rolling Stone was the first to report on the creative disagreements on set surrounding Amy Seimetz's departure as director and executive producer. In response to the article, The Weeknd shared a clip from the series in which his character (Tedros) states that the magazine company is "ancient" and "irrelevant."

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6. #006

   The stage for Jocelyn's concert in the finale is the same as the stage from The Weeknd's sold-out show at SoFi Stadium.

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7. #007

   In March 2023, thirteen cast and crew members of The Idol publicly voiced their concerns about the "extreme" nature of the series after Sam Levinson replaced showrunner Amy Seimetz. One person likened the revised scripts to "any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have," while others described the series as "sexual torture porn."

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8. #008

   Sam Levinson said that this series takes place in the same universe as Euphoria (2019).

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9. #009

   The Weeknd cited the influence of Paul Verhoeven's films, particularly the sex scenes in Basic Instinct (1992): "Verhoeven is the king of the '90s satirical thriller — yes, there are 'sexy' moments in his films, but there are also other moments that are very unlikable and funny." Jocelyn and Leia watch Basic Instinct in the first episode. The series was also compared, quite unfavourably, to Verhoeven's Showgirls (1995).

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10. #010

    In an interview with Variety, Jane Adams strongly pushed back against rumours of a toxic atmosphere and misogyny during the filming of the series, saying: "What's surprising to me is that nobody listens. I've never seen such a stubborn 'We refuse to change the narrative.' all day long before. Especially to all the feminists, I want to say: 'Go fuck yourself.' All the women I worked with are talking about their experience and you're not listening. You're not listening!"

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11. #011

    Jocelyn is believed to have been inspired by The Weeknd's ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez.

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12. #012

    After a creative revision in the spring of 2022, the first season was cut from six episodes to five.

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13. #013

    While playing Tedros, The Weeknd drew on the following performances: * Eric Roberts in Star 80 (1983) * James Woods in Casino (1995) * Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet (1986) * Harvey Keitel in Taxi Driver (1976).

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