The Weeknd will star in and co-write a new series being developed at HBO, according to Variety.
The series is currently going by the title The Idol, with Variety adding that it will be about a female pop singer who strikes up a romance with an L.A. club owner that also leads a secret cult.
The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, will be a co-writer and executive producer, working along with Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson. All three of those people will be credited as the show’s creators. Joseph Epstein will be writing and executive producing and will also act as showrunner.
Certainly worth noting is that Levinson created the hit HBO series Euphoria, which came out in 2019. The first season of that show snagged multiple Emmy nominations, one of which was won by its star, Zendaya, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Last year, The Weeknd was credited as the co-writer for the American Dad episode “A Starboy is Born.” He played himself in that episode. He also played himself (in non-animated form) in the Josh and Benny Safdie-directed movie Uncut Gems back in 2019.
