Watch: The Weeknd Plays a Pop Star’s Self-Help Guru in First Trailer for ‘The Idol’

The Weeknd stars alongside actress Lily Rose-Depp in a new trailer for the impending HBO series, The Idol. The new series comes from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and sees the singer play a self-help guru and modern-day cult leader.

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Set against the backdrop of the music industry, the six-episode limited series follows The Weeknd’s character as he enters a relationship with a rising pop star (Rose-Depp). Those familiar with Euphoria won’t be shocked by the contents of the new trailer – drugs, sex, and young people amid potentially traumatic situations.

A host of musicians pop up around the trailer, including Troys Sivan and BLACKPINK’s Jennie alongside seasoned actors Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, and Debby Ryan.

The Weeknd premiered the teaser for the show during his concert at MetLife Stadium on Saturday (July 16) amid his After Hours Till Dawn Tour, ahead of the global release – which can be seen below.

This isn’t the “Starboy” singer’s first foray into acting as he made his silver screen debut in Uncut Gems in 2019. He also co-wrote and appeared in an episode of American Dad! and voiced three characters in the 200th episode of Robot Chicken.

The North American leg of his tour will continue to trek on until September 3 in Inglewood, California. The singer will then move on to Europe for most of the fall, finishing things up on November 13 in Paris.

The Weeknd (Photo: Republic Records)