When it came to voicing his opinions about "The Idol," The Weeknd, born Abel Tesfaye, chose to bite his tongue. Two years after the HBO series aired, the "Save Your Tears" crooner finally opened up about his decision to refrain from oversharing his thoughts during the production process. "I risked being labeled as 'difficult,'" Tesfaye confessed to The Guardian, explaining his limited influence over Sam Levinson's series. "In Hollywood, being deemed 'difficult' is the ultimate sin. The label spreads like wildfire!" Given that "The Idol" marked Tesfaye's maiden voyage into Hollywood as both an actor and executive producer, he was keen to avoid ruffling any feathers. "You've got to pay your dues," he elaborated. "And boy, did I ever."
Indeed, "The Idol," which also starred Lily-Rose Depp, faced scrutiny even before its premiere due to its tumultuous production. Critics swiftly panned the series. Looking back, Tesfaye admitted to The Guardian that the show's criticism "was entirely justified." "If it had a coherent beginning, middle, and end, it could have been something special," he reflected. "Instead, it just petered out in the middle."
Yet, following this experience, Tesfaye found redemption in his directorial debut, "Hurry Up Tomorrow," which premiered in theaters last month. The film brought "joy" back into his production endeavors. "Before shooting, I went through whatever healing was necessary," he explained. "I needed to shed that old skin, and I wanted to do it in a visually striking way."
Moreover, as Tesfaye portrays a version of himself in the new film, co-starring Barry Keoghan and Jenna Ortega, the experience served as healing on multiple levels. "I feel incredibly grateful to capture my persona on 35mm and bring it to life," he said. "I'm sure every artist would cherish that opportunity. Because at some point, you yearn to transcend the image forged at 19." In his own words, "I got to say, 'Cut!' And that was a wrap—a new beginning."
