The Weeknd Opens Up About His Controversial Sex Scenes in ‘The Idol’

No. There’s nothing sexy about it. When we use Basic Instinct as a reference, we’re using Verhoeven. Verhoeven is the king of ‘90s satire thriller—yes, there’s moments of “sexy” in his films but there are other moments that are very cheesy and hilarious. How ever you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters. It’s all those emotions adding up to: This guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.

So it’s almost like he’s tossing those come-ons out off the top of his head then?

[laughs] Exactly.

Tone is a hard balance to strike in a new show—you’re teaching the viewer how to watch it with each episode. So what exactly are you guys trying to strike here? Is it satire, is it camp, a blend of both with some straightforward seriousness?

With this show, we love to play with the emotions. We’re puppet-mastering your feelings through the show. It’s never a consistent tone, and that’s on purpose. No matter how dark a scene is, you can find the comedy in it. That’s why we love actors like Rachel Sennot, Hank Azaria, and Da’Vine [Joy Randolph]. These are incredibly talented comedic performers who can shift the tone in just one monologue. I mean, Jane Adams in the opening of episode 2, she gives this monologue that is hilarious at first and then it just shifts into a powerhouse moment where you’re terrified of her. Like oh shit, this is somebody who cares but Jocelyn, but then, does she? Not to give away too much but especially in episode 3, we love to play with the comedy of it but then it’s like… don’t get too comfortable. That should be the logline for the show: Don’t get too comfortable watching this.

You talked about Tedros’s specific, sleazy look. Where did the idea for the rattail come from?

It was a culmination of a few ideas, but it’s hard to give anyone credit for it. You’ll find out more about the rattail later on.

Technically your acting debut was in Uncut Gems. Did you reach out to the Safdies as you prepared to take on your first real role?

I always looked at that as a cameo rather than an actual acting role. It’s making fun of The Weeknd and heightening the character, which as people get to know me more, I love to do a lot. That same year I wrote an episode of American Dad with Joel Hurwitz where “The Weeknd” comes out with a dark secret: that I’m actually a virgin. So those things were me making fun of the image of The Weeknd. And that’s kind of what we’re doing here as well.

With Idol, it’s a little trickier for me because I initially never wrote it with me in mind. That’s just the truth. But as the years went by, Sam [Levinson] convinced me and had some really great ideas for the show. And it got to a place where the only way I could play this role was if it’s something completely different from who I am. And I can distance myself from that character. I wanted to make sure he looked nothing like me, acted nothing like me, just a totally different person. The other thing that was really important for me was that I had to take off my filmmaker’s hat so I could hone in and focus on this being my job. And the only way that I could do that is if I fully give myself to this character. That was a challenge at first, because I’m very overprotective of what I do and I love to be in control. So it was really interesting to [for once] not be in control and give myself to that process. And it took a bit. But we finally got into it, and I’m excited for you guys to see how it unfolds.

Is there a specific scene that you’re excited for people to see you in the context of an actor?

Mmm, no. Just the whole thing.

You mentioned it as being a “five-hour film.” How has it been as you process people reacting to it in pieces, not knowing the full story and scope?

I wish I could react to it in real time as much as I’d like to, but the time difference is crazy. I’m getting the beginning of it when I’m half asleep. I try to see as much as possible the next day. But it’s tough because…I understand the internet. I started on the internet, my first song ever was on YouTube. I understand the internet a lot—and it’s tough to always be online because it’s so much. I love to put it out there, and take [the reactions] in—but I try not to obsess too much.