The Weeknd defends The Idol controversial scene with Lily-Rose Depp

Why you’re reading this: Sam Levinson’s The Idol has been making headlines since its premiere on June 4. Explicit sexual scenes and the 'objectification of women' are some of the issues raised by the audience after watching the first two episodes of the show. In recent development, The Weeknd came under fire for a graphic sex scene in the second episode. 

3 things you need to know

• The Idol stars Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd in lead roles. 
• Its story revolves around the world of the music industry and focuses on the rise of a female pop singer.
• The show is getting called out for nudity and "disturbing" sexual imagery.

The Weeknd on graphic sex scene

The Weekend defended his "despicable" role in The Idol after a violent sex scene appalled the audience. “There’s nothing sexy about it. However 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 way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here,” the actor and music composer said.

(Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd in The Idol | Image: Screenshot from the show)

The singer called his character a “loser and psychopath.” He added that his look, his outfits, his hair everything was curated in a way to depict him as a douchebag. The scene in question featured a shady nightclub owner Tedros, played by The Weeknd. He orders troubled pop sensation Jocelyn (Depp) to engage in sexual activities as she is lying on a bed. 

The Idol viewership fluctuates

800,000 people tuned in for episode 2 of The Idol, which is a 12% decrease from episode 1. While the same-day watching rate declined, Episode 1 saw more delayed viewers than either Euphoria or The White Lotus, after a week of its release. This is The Weeknd’s first acting role. He is more well-known for his musical career with singles like I Can't Feel My Face, Blinding Lights and Save Your Tears.