Lily-Rose Depp Reveals Reason Why She Avoided The Weeknd On 'The Idol' Set

Lily-Rose Depp Reveals Reason Why She Avoided The Weeknd On 'The Idol' Set

Home / Stars / Lily-Rose Depp Reveals Reason Why She Avoided The Weeknd On 'The Idol' Set

By Favour Adegoke on June 6, 2023 at 10:00 AM EDT

Lily-Rose Depp has shared details of her time on set with The Weeknd. The duo recently starred in a new explicit show, "The Idol," created by "Euphoria" filmmaker Sam Levinson.

In a recent interview, Depp shared that she steered clear of her colleague whenever he fully immersed himself in the character he played in the show.

The actress recently faced backlash for the nudity of her character in "The Idol," which she later defended during a press interview during its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Keep on reading to learn more.

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'I Would Steer Clear Of Him'

Lily-Rose Depp Reveals Reason Why She Avoided The Weeknd On 'The Idol' Set
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In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Depp opened up about her onset relationship with Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, whom she starred with in "The Idol."

She shared that she often avoided being in the same space as the Grammy winner whenever he got into "his zone."

"I don't think anybody went full method — nobody lost their minds," Depp told the news outlet on Friday, per People.

She added, "Well, sometimes when Abel would get — I don't want to reveal too much about where Abel's character goes, but when he would be in full Tedros mode sometimes, I would steer clear of him. I'd be like, 'He's in his zone right now.'"

Depp noted that the mood on set was usually "lighthearted," which helped the cast deal with the emotional and heavy nature of the film.

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She said, "We were having a lot of laughs, listening to a lot of music, and dancing around, and that kind of energy is what made the heavier moments easier and possible."

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Lily-Rose Depp Slammed For Raunchy Scenes In 'The Idol'

Lily-Rose Depp
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'The Idol' recently debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving a five-minute standing ovation from the attendees. However, on the outside, it has faced criticism for its racy contents, with Depp receiving the brunt of it all.

"Rarely does a scene go by without the camera showing flashes of her breasts or a**," a review by The Hollywood Reporter said of Depp's character, Jocelyn. It continued, "You start to wonder if this is building to anything, and by episode two, it seems likely that it's probably not."

Another scathing review described the show as a "Pornhub-homepage odyssey," while another claimed that explicit scenes from Depp weren't the type of content that should be played at Cannes.

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Lily-Rose Depp Defends The 'Bareness' Of Her Character

Lily-Rose Depp
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Following the backlash, the actress came out to defend the "bareness" of her character, saying that it was a crucial part of her personality as "a born and bred performer."

Depp said of Jocelyn, per Daily Mail, "'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. I also think that the occasional bareness of the character physically mirrors the bareness that we get to see emotionally in her."

Depp also noted that she was deeply "involved in the creation of this character and the ins and outs of how she expresses herself."

The show's producer, Sam Levinson, confirmed her claims while giving a speech at Cannes after its premiere.

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At the time, he shared that he and Depp had "a lot of discussions" about "who Jocelyn is as a person," adding that the character has "such a strong sense of self and such a strong sexual sense."

'The Idol' Previously Faced Criticism For Being 'Toxic'

The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp, Sam Levinson
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Apart from Depp being slammed for the "bareness" of her character, rumors also swirled that the show's set was "toxic" back in March. Levinson was also accused of introducing excessive nudity, sex, and violence in the show for exploitative reasons.

However, Depp refuted the rumors, saying Levinson was "the best director I have ever worked with" for "so many reasons."

She added, 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 — it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it."

Depp also praised Levinson for only "creating an environment" where she felt "seen, heard, and appreciated."

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