Here's What The Idol Creator Did to Convince The Weeknd to Play a Creep
It looks like Tedros' slovenliness was created on purpose.
Without a doubt, HBO's The Idol is already the most popular show of the summer, thanks to all the drama and controversy surrounding this once-promising project. Behind-the-scenes troubles and the sudden firing of the showrunner didn't give the show any positive attention, but it was an excessive amount of nudity and borderline sadistic moments that made people really hate the series.
And most of all, fans hated The Weeknd's Tedros, calling him a gross creep and the worst character on the show. But what if we told you that's exactly what Sam Levinson wanted us to feel?
According to The Weeknd and Sam Levinson, they developed Tedros as a creep from the beginning, carefully creating his style, mannerisms, lines, and even his voice to make him look like a total jerk. Tedros envies Jocelyn so much that he begins to torment her, and this makes watching the show a truly uncomfortable experience for many. But who said The Idol was supposed to be fun and happy?
Obviously not The Weeknd, who became obsessed with playing Tedros after reading the first draft of the script. However, it looks like it was Sam Levinson who pitched him the creepy version of the character, arguing that his vision of the cult leader would better convey the show's meaning — and The Weeknd was totally sold on the creator's pitch.
'We're in Abel's house, we're talking it through, imagining the character Tedros. And I would say, "Imagine you have all of the dreams that you have of what you want to do in life, in terms of music, and your career, all of the aspirations — but imagine you have none of the talent. That's who this character is",' Levinson recalled his conversation with The Weeknd during an HBO Max's featurette.
Although this pitch may sound a little crazy, The Weeknd found it convincing enough and was willing to embrace Levinson's version of the character, using all of his talent to play a creepy and talentless Tedros. For a successful singer with a sense of style, it was certainly hard to give it all up and become someone else — and that's why The Weeknd should be applauded for his performance in The Idol.
Source: Variety.