Lily-Rose Depp has responded to criticism of her new show, “The Idol.” The series, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday, has been slammed by many news outlets for the risqué scenes involving the actress’ character Jocelyn.
Lily-Rose has now defended the raunchiness, saying it was necessary to portray the personality of Jocelyn as an up-and-coming singer. The actress was also praised for her father, Johnny Depp, who premiered his movie at the Cannes Film Festival.
Read below for more details.
Lily-Rose Depp Responds To Backlash Over New Series, ‘The Idol’
Following backlash over the “bareness” of her character in her new show “The Idol,” Lily-Rose has come out to defend herself, per Daily Mail.
During a press interview at the Cannes Film Festival, she said that the overly sensual nature of her character Jocelyn was a crucial part of her personality as “a born and bred performer” and that it couldn’t just be overlooked.
The actress said of Jocelyn, “‘The way that she dresses, for example, is her trying to tell you something all the time… or express herself in some kind of way.”
She added, “I also think that the occasional bareness of the character physically mirrors the bareness that we get to see emotionally in her.”
Despite the criticism of “The Idol” as a subtle porn show by many news outlets, it received a five-minute standing ovation at Cannes, where it premiered on Monday.
Director Sam Levinson On ‘The Idol’
The ovation from the attendees got director Sam Levinson very emotional, as he said he feels like he “gained a family.”
The “Euphoria” showrunner also shared more details about the film, explaining its connection with the music industry.
He said, “We live in a very sexualized world… where the influence of pornography is powerful in terms of the psyche of young people. And we see this in pop music.”
His comments came after a March Rolling Stone piece released information from sources close to the project that claimed Levinson had increased the show’s risque scenes to exploitative levels.
However, at the time, Lily-Rose defended the director’s work in an interview, describing him as “the best director” she had ever worked with.
She said, per Page Six, “Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued. Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way….”
Lily-Rose Depp Slammed For Her Character’s Lewdity
Most criticisms about the Max (formerly HBO) series came from news outlets, which slammed it for having too many nude scenes that took the focus away from its story.
“Rarely does a scene go by without the camera showing flashes of her breasts or a**,” read a review about the series by The Hollywood Reporter. It continued, “You start to wonder if this is building to anything, and by episode two, it seems likely that it’s probably not.”
The New York Times called the show a “Pornhub-homepage odyssey.” Likewise, Variety said the risque scenes were inappropriate for the Cannes Film Festival.
Lily-Rose Depp Lauds Her Father’s New Movie
Lily-Rose’ wasn’t the only Depp who showed up at the Cannes Festival, as her father, Johnny, also received a seven-minute standing ovation for his performance in his new film, “Jeanne du Barry.”
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the actress shared her happiness over his achievement after months of him being distracted from acting by his court feud with his ex-wife Amber Heard.
“I’m super happy for him. I’m super excited,” Lily-Rose said of her father. “And it’s so awesome that we get to do projects we’re super proud of.”
In the historical drama, which premiered on March 16, Johnny played the role of King Louis XV, alias Louis the Beloved, who ruled France from September 1, 1715, until he died in 1774.
Joining Johnny in the cast were Benjamin Lavernhe and Maïwenn, who doubled as the project’s director.
