The Idol Star Doubles Down on Defending It Against Toxic Set Rumors
It looks like the reports about The Idol's behind-the-scenes drama were wrong.
Since the first episode of The Idol premiered in early June, fans have been calling out its creators, Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, for including a lot of nudity and violence in the show for now apparent reason.
But while the characters suffering on screen is just fine by Hollywood standards, the public has been concerned that the cast members were also forced to work in a toxic environment, as some behind-the-scenes reports suggested.
According to some sources, after Sam Levinson and The Weeknd fired previous showrunner Amy Seimetz and took full creative control of The Idol production, the toxicity on set reached insane heights, with actors being forced to shoot scenes they were uncomfortable with. However, none of the show's main cast members have ever confirmed these allegations, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who plays Destiny on The Idol, just put those rumors to rest in her recent interview.
The actress spoke out against the rumors surrounding the production of The Idol, refusing to agree that she worked in a toxic atmosphere. Randolph said she felt cared for on set, noting Levinson and The Weeknd always tried to make the experience comfortable for the actors.
'I've worked enough in this industry, though I have a very young career, that the moment I would have felt like, "Hmmm, something's wrong…" I would have been like, "Get me out of here!" I'm grown! I'm in my 30s! I get it, rumors, blah, blah, blah. But I promise you, I would not have done this project at this stage in my life if that was the case,' the actress said.
So if Randolph is to be believed, it looks like the media simply decided to cancel the show without trying to find out any facts about the production. Perhaps the cast of The Idol did feel uncomfortable at some point — but that was when they read those false reports and bashing reviews after the series premiered, not when they were actually filming the scenes.
There is still a chance that The Idol's controversial status will change after the fifth and final episode airs on HBO on July 2, 2023.
Source: Vulture.