Madonna, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah. — all examples of musicians who took to the screen after conquering the stage. The pop star to actor pipeline continues with The Weeknd, who has inked a deal with HBO to create, produce, write, and star in a brand new original series that sounds quite intriguing.
On June 29, news broke that the After Hours musician is currently developing a new project with the premier streaming platform. The series, titled The Idol, is being described as a dramatic thriller; it follows the chaos that ensues when a pop star strikes up a romantic relationship with a Los Angeles club owner only to find out that he's actually the head of a growing underground cult. (It's not for certain just yet, but I think we can all guess which role The Weeknd will be playing.)
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The singer is teaming up with another HBO staple for the developing series, working alongside Euphoria creator Sam Levinson to bring what's sure to be a sexy but very dark-sided story to life. Levinson. The Weeknd's producing partner Reza Fahim will share executive producer and co- writer credits with The Weeknd and Levinson. Rounding out the team is showrunner Joseph Epstein, who will also write and executive produce alongside Ashley Levinson, Kevin Turen, Aaron L. Gilbert, Mary Laws, Wassim "SAL" Slaiby, and La Mar C. Taylor.
The Idol will mark The Weeknd's official television debut, and his trippy discography might actually help predict the vibe of the HBO show. Just imagine House of Balloons, Starboy, and After Hours — but on TV. It's already a vibe.