All the drama surrounding HBO's new show 'The Idol,' which has been described as 'torture porn.' Here's what The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp, and more have said.

Eve CrosbieMar 2, 2023, 23:12 IST

Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd in HBO's "The Idol."HBO

"The Idol," a new HBO show from "Euphoria" creator Sam Levinson has become embroiled in controversy.
A Rolling Stone report said the show has wasted millions of dollars and turned into a "rape fantasy."

In June 2021, The Weeknd and Sam Levinson announced they would be teaming up to create "The Idol" for HBO.

The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp in HBO's "The Idol."HBO

The show was supposed to be a story of female empowerment, but the message has been lost over the course of the show's rewrites and reshoots, it has been claimed.

Lily-Rose Depp in HBO's "The Idol."HBO

When Levinson took over as director from Seimetz, he reportedly scrapped the nearly-finished project to rewrite and reshoot the entire thing.

Amy Seimetz at The Landmark Westwood on February 20, 2022, in Los Angeles, California.Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Sources allege that Levinson's scripts contained disturbing scenes of sexual violence that were like "torture porn."

Sam Levinson attends HBO's "Euphoria" Season 2 Photo Call at Goya Studios on January 05, 2022, in Los Angeles, California.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO

The Weeknd reportedly wanted the show to focus on his character and argued for the show to drop its feminist lens.

The Weeknd in HBO's "The Idol."HBO

Depp responded to the allegations, saying that she has never "felt more supported or respected in a creative space" than on "The Idol."

Lily-Rose Depp attends the Chanel Womenswear Spring/Summer 2021 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 06, 2020, in Paris, France.Corbis via Getty Images

HBO, meanwhile, said the changes made were in "the best interest of both the production and the cast and crew."

HBO said the early episodes "did not meet HBO standards."Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Weeknd responded to the Rolling Stone article with a clip from the show in which his character calls the magazine "irrelevant."

It's unclear when the show will eventually premiere or what the finished product will look like.

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