given the Weeknd’s candid assessment of “The Idol,” what were the key factors, according to him, that contributed to the series’ critical failure?
It’s rare we see a megastar, a global icon like the Weeknd, not just acknowledging, but dissecting, the critical failure of a major creative endeavor. The air surrounding ‘The Idol,’ HBO’s controversial series, was thick with criticism.Now, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, the man behind the music and the screen appearances, is offering a surprisingly candid post-mortem. This isn’t just about shifting blame; it’s a deep dive into the creative cracks that led to its downfall.He admits to the “bad reviews” making “a lot of sense.” This is his frank self-assessment and a crucial lesson about the creative process, particularly when adapting a project during unprecedented challenges like the global pandemic.
The four-time Grammy award winner, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, admitted the bad reviews over his 2023 HBO series “makes a lot of sense” after years after defending it.
The Blinding Lights hitmaker opened up about the factors that contributed to the poor reception of The Idol, a project the Canadian musician was heavily invested in from the very start to finish, having starred in, co-written, and executive-produced every episode.
“Pandemic happened, theatres are not a thing anymore at the time, television is the new god,” he told The Guardian, noting that the project was initially intended to be a feature film, but the post-COVID landscape forced him and his co-creator to opt for a different medium.
“It could have been great if it had a beginning, middle and end. It just ended on middle,” the Save Your Tears singer added,hinting that the five-episode format felt incomplete.
He explained that The Idol,which starred Jhonny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp,Suzanna Son,and Troye Sivan,lacked a clear creative vision and genuine passion from some team members.
The Die For You singer felt that while people did care, the project became more about finishing it than making it great, saying, “You can’t force something. You’ve just got to let it be whatever it is indeed,even if it’s half-baked.”
Tesfaye, 35, followed up poorly received 2023 project with his first feature film as a leading actor which is now playing in theatres.
In addition to the Wednesday star, barry Keoghan, Charlie D’Amelio, and Riley Keough round out the star-studded lineup of the 2025 thriller, Hurry Up, Tomorrow.
The Weeknd reflected on the negative reception of The Idol as his new film, Hurry Up, Tomorrow, starring Jenna Ortega, hit the theatres.
The four-time Grammy award winner, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, admitted the bad reviews over his 2023 HBO series “makes a lot of sense” after years after defending it.
The Blinding Lights hitmaker opened up about the factors that contributed to the poor reception of The Idol, a project the Canadian musician was heavily invested in from the very start to finish, having starred in, co-written, and executive-produced every episode.
“Pandemic happened, theatres are not a thing anymore at the time, television is the new god,” he told The Guardian, noting that the project was initially intended to be a feature film, but the post-COVID landscape forced him and his co-creator to opt for a different medium.
“It could have been great if it had a beginning, middle and end. It just ended on middle,” the Save Your Tears singer added, hinting that the five-episode format felt incomplete.
He explained that The Idol, which starred Jhonny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp, Suzanna Son, and Troye Sivan, lacked a clear creative vision and genuine passion from some team members.
The Die For You singer felt that while people did care, the project became more about finishing it than making it great, saying, “You can’t force something. You’ve just got to let it be whatever it is, even if it’s half-baked.”
Tesfaye, 35, followed up poorly received 2023 project with his first feature film as a leading actor which is now playing in theatres.
In addition to the Wednesday star, Barry Keoghan, Charlie D’Amelio, and Riley Keough round out the star-studded lineup of the 2025 thriller, Hurry Up, Tomorrow.
