The Weeknd Downplays ‘Ridiculous’ Media Reports on ‘The Idol,’ Hints at His Next Chapter

variety.com:

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor In a sprawling new cover story in Vanity Fair, the Weeknd talks about the dark rumors surrounding his forthcoming HBO series “The Idol” and speaks broadly of what will apparently be the third iteration of his musical persona.

The series comes at a transitional time for the artist, who spoke of his theatrical ambitions in an expansive 2020 Variety cover story pegged to the release of his blockbuster album “After Hours.” In many ways “The Idol” is a conclusion of that dark, superstar phase of the Weeknd: Although he insists he is not Tedros, the abusive and misogynistic Svengali he portrays in the show — who is manipulating a pop star played by Lily Rose Depp, both career-wise and personally — it’s not worlds away from the nihilistic, sex-obsessed, drug-addled persona that populates many of his songs.

In fact, he says he’s closer to Depp’s character.            “Tedros is that superego that we as men wanna stay away from as much as possible, that’s inside of us and we just gotta kill that,” he says. “Jocelyn is a famous pop star.

The people around her and her ethos and her community, they’re all inspired by things I know about the music industry. “I’m not playing myself,” he continues. “But those characters can live in The Weeknd’s universe.” The series, which he helmed with filmmaker and “Euphoria” auteur Sam Levinson and his producing partner and longtime friend Reza Fahim, premieres at the Cannes Film Festival in this month and join HBO’s Sunday night lineup starting in June.