‘The Idol’ Choreographer Breaks Down Lily-Rose Depp’s Epic ‘I’m Just a Freak’ Dance and the Influences Behind That Disastrous Music Video
variety.comNina McNeely first needed to understand the root of pop star and musical sensation Jocelyn’s (played by Lily-Rose Depp). “She’s a former child star.
She was at the pinnacle of her fame, then went through a rough patch and had a mental breakdown. And in the rehearsal scene, that’s her big comeback; she’s rehearsing for her big comeback, so there’s an insane amount of pressure on her,” McNeely explained in Variety’s Artisans series, presented by HBO. “She had canceled tours; she needs to get that money back.
She needs to top the charts, and she’s also having that rehearsal in the midst of a scandal.” Visual artist and dance legend McNeely has worked with Major Lazer, Björk, the Foo Fighters, and (of course) The Weeknd. “I first started working with Able [aka The Weeknd] because he’s a fan of Gaspar Noé, and I choreographed the film ‘Climax.'” That curiosity led to a long-running working relationship between the two.
So when “The Idol” co-creators Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim, needed a choreographer for Jocelyn’s “World Class Sinner / I’m a Freak” and “Dollhouse” The Weeknd (who also stars in the series, and leant the production his home to shoot out of) knew exactly who to call.
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