HBO The Idol; BLACKPINK singer Jennie Kim explains how Lily-Rose Depp helped her during TV debut

Polarising might be the right word when it comes to pre-release buzz surrounding Abel Tesfaye (fka The Weeknd) and Sam Levinson’s (Euphoria) upcoming HBO series, The Idol, which begins next week. Calls of the show being visceral to outright offensive have flooded subreddits and social media. 

But one thing is for certain - K-Pop fans are intrigued as to the debut performance of BLACKPINK singer Jennie Kim, who wowed audiences in attendance at Cannes Film Festival 2023 during the series’ screening in late May 2023. 

But for someone who is used to having thousands of adulating fans watch her perform with Rose and the rest of the group at Coachella Festival and numerous other live events, she still gets a touch of nerves; especially when she is making her television performance debut in such a as-of-now divisive series. “It definitely was a challenge, because I’ve never experienced anything like that before,” she told Women’s Wear Daily, “it was like, breaking a wall for me”

But she found support from her co-star, Lily-Rose Depp, who alleviated those concerns she had throughout filming. “She really helped me a lot. Telling me about scenes, and it was very comforting to have her there. She just taught me to express myself and be comfortable with myself, to not be scared.”

The apparent controversy regarding the show’s subject matter is something that Jennie was not nervous about, citing her trust in working with Sam Levinson; “The fact that it was about the music industry fascinated me, and I thought I could bring something to the role,” she admitted. “It was an opportunity to just be myself and be brave. I didn’t really train for it, or prep anything. Sam wanted me to just be myself [and] to be collaborative with all the scenes that we would be working on together, because it was about the industry.”

What is HBO’s The Idol all about?

Sky Atlantic’s official write up for The Idol calls it “a provocative drama set against the backdrop of Hollywood’s music industry. The series follows the story of Jocelyn, a rising pop star, who faces the challenges of fame as she navigates a relationship with club owner Tedros.”

“After a nervous breakdown derailed Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) last tour, she’s determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America. Her passions are reignited by Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye), a nightclub impresario with a sordid past. Will her romantic awakening take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul?”

How can I watch HBO’s The Idol in the United Kingdom?

The Idol will be screening weekly on Sky Atlantic from June 5 2023, and will be available for catch-up on NOW TV.