Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd is about to make his first foray into TV with HBO‘s The Idol, a new drama premiering today (June 4).
Created by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim and Tesfaye, the series follows a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.
Lily Rose Depp (The Dancer) and Tesfaye lead the cast, supported by Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Mike Dean and Hank Azaria.
Where was The Idol filmed?
Back in April, it was reported that the series underwent reshoots and was “adjusting” its cast and crew to serve a new direction. The show had already shot in and around Los Angeles, but many of the reshoots took place in Tesfaye’s personal mansion in Bel Air.
The artist purchased the 33,000-square-foot property — which sits on a 1.6-acre plot of land — in 2021 for $70 million (£56million). Inside the mansion is a gym, movie theatre, music studio, sauna, and indoor pool. Some of the exterior’s features include multiple outdoor entertaining spaces, a sports court, and an infinity pool with waterfall.
In a recent interview with W Magazine, Levinson explained how they eventually decided to use Tesfaye’s home for the reshoots, as a way to cut production costs.
“Sitting in Abel’s house, looking around at the 40,000 square feet, I said, ‘It’s stunning here — you can’t buy production design like this. What if we shoot it here?’ Abel put down his drink and said, ‘Do you have insurance?’ I said yes. And he said, ‘I’m okay with it.'”
Levinson and his family, along with the cast and crew, were soon moved into the property. “The bedrooms were now greenrooms; the bathrooms were for hair and makeup,” Tesfaye said.
“We built a music studio in the basement so Mike Dean, who helped compose, and I could score the show while we were filming.”
As a result, Tesfaye moved into one of his other homes. “My home belonged to the show; it was a hub of activity,” he continued. “We were trying to blur the line between fiction and reality. We had cameras going all the time.
“It was weird when they all left. I changed all the furniture. I replastered the walls. But the soul of Jocelyn’s [Depp] house is still in there.”
Tesfaye has a few acting credits to his name. He previously played himself in Josh and Benny Safdie’s 2019 thriller Uncut Gems, and also made guest appearances in American Dad and The Simpsons.
Depp, meanwhile, was recently cast in director Robert Eggers’ upcoming Nosferatu remake, alongside Bill Skarsgård as the lead vampire.
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