Controversial HBO series "The Idol" will screen out-of-competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
The show is a collaboration between "Euphoria" creator Sam Levinson and R&B artist The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye).
- Tesfaye is apparently a regular at Cannes and frequently attends screenings incognito.
- "The
Idol" isn't the first TV series to screen at Cannes; previously, David
Lynch brought two episodes of "Twin Peaks" to the festival.
- The
series stars Lily-Rose Depp as an up-and-coming pop star who begins
dating an enigmatic club owner and secret cult leader, played by
Tesfaye.
- A Rolling Stone expose,
published in March, alleged that the show's creative direction went
"wildly, disgustingly off the rails" after original director Amy Seimetz
exited the project and Levinson personally took over; Tesfaye responded
on social media, suggesting the report was a response to his
character's mockery of Rolling Stone in the series.
