“We Were ROBBED”: The Original Version Of HBO’s “The Idol” Could Not Have Been More Different

Behind-the-scene photos from HBO‘s The Idol have been released, revealing a first look at the original version of the series.

Lily-Rose Depp (left) and The Weeknd (right) in “The Idol” poster

While The Idol had long been anticipated due to its all-star cast, including The Weeknd (also known as Abel Tesfaye), Lily-Rose Depp, Troye Sivan, and BLACKPINK‘s Jennie, it was met with negative critiques, reviews, and even boycotts upon release.

Levinson and Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye are the ‘sick and twisted minds’ behind the ‘sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood’ (HBO’s words) that follows pop superstar Jocelyn (Depp) as she navigates the seedy underbelly of the music industry and falls under the spell of Tedros (Tesfaye), a mysterious owner of a popular L.A. nightclub who secretly runs a cult reminiscent of NXIVM and Scientology.

— Rolling Stone

Jennie | HBO

Ahead of its premiere, Rolling Stone published an exposé, including crew members’ statements. Reportedly, the show’s direction drastically changed when the original woman director, Amy Seimetz, was let go and replaced by Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson after The Weeknd was concerned that the show had too much “female perspective.” Since then, the crew exposed disturbing behind-the-scenes information regarding the show’s production, including numerous “delays, reshoots, and rewrites,” and even Jennie’s “exploitation.”

In interviews with 13 members of the show’s cast and crew, Rolling Stone has learned the drastic delay was caused by Levinson taking over as director and scrapping the nearly-finished $54-75 million project to rewrite and reshoot the entire thing.

— Rolling Stone

Now, staff have leaked behind-the-scenes photos revealing Amy Seimetz’s original vision. There are photos of Jocelyn’s merchandise, including standees, bracelets, and shoes. Jocelyn’s styling is reminiscent of Disney Channel icon Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) and the OG “Pop Princess” Britney Spears.

this makes me so upset cause you can tell the original plot of the idol had a genuine vision pic.twitter.com/NPPk1WX5dT

— kamani ☆ (@TEXASTITTIE) July 5, 2023

Looking at the pictures taken during the filming of The Idol with still the original script… they had the chance to give us such a fun and interesting story pic.twitter.com/3m86ReFIcN

— ???????????????????????? (@_fairyjen_) July 5, 2023

Additionally, there are photos of both children and teenagers. It appears that there would have been flashbacks that clearly communicated Jocelyn’s backstory as a “child star” or “pop icon.” A child actor’s parent also shared behind-the-scenes photos, expressing their mixed feelings about the situation.

‘What I signed up for was a dark satire of fame and the fame model in the 21st century,’ one production member explains. ‘The things that we subject our talent and stars to, the forces that put people in the spotlight and how that can be manipulated in the post-Trump world.’ However, they add, ‘It went from satire to the thing it was satirizing.’

‘It was like any rape fantasy that any toxic man would have in the show — and then the woman comes back for more because it makes her music better,’ one production member explains of Levinson’s version.

— Rolling Stone

Beyond that, even the original version’s stylings were better for Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd. It even appeared that there might have been a happier ending.

Based on insiders, it would have had a more meaningful message and empathy for women idols. Instead, the revised The Idol that saw the light of day resulted in what has been described as “torture porn” and “rape fantasy.”

The first public inkling of trouble came last April, when director Amy Seimetz, of The Girlfriend Experience and She Dies Tomorrow, suddenly exited with roughly 80 percent of the six-episode series finished. HBO addressed the news by confirming The Idol was set to have a major creative overhaul and would be adjusting the cast and crew. There was little explanation for the shakeup, except for reports that Tesfaye, who is co-creator, felt the show was heading too much into a ‘female perspective.’

— Rolling Stone

Netizens continue to be disappointed with The Idol. They wished that the original version could have been the final version. Some are trending #ReleaseAmyCut as a result.

men ruin everything

— sooyas' fav jensetter ♡ (@jnobsession) July 5, 2023

let me find out they broke this girls heart just so they can make the show into pretty trash

— jdn (@jadentyoung) July 6, 2023

We can only hope to see an Amy Seimetz cut similar to how Zack Snyder‘s Justice League was released after Joss Whedon‘s was officially released in cinemas.

Read more below.

“They Didn’t Let Her Talk…”: HBO Show “The Idol” Exposed For Exploiting BLACKPINK’s Jennie And More