The Idol creator Sam Levinson has revealed a few of the female characters that inspired the lead character of Jocelyn.
Who inspired the character of Jocelyn in The Idol?
In a Deadline feature about the most recent episode of the HBO series, Levinson revealed that Lily-Rose Depp‘s Jocelyn was “took notes” from characters like Jane Greer in Out of the Past and Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.
Levinson described the list of characters as “these iconic female characters who have this poise to them and unearth truths and a darkness in their life.”
The Idol is co-created by Levinson, The Weeknd, and Reza Fahim. This marks The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp’s TV acting debuts and first major scripted drama series. Joining them are Golden Globe nominee Troye Sivan, Hari Nef, Debby Ryan, Steve Zissis, Rachel Sennott and K-Pop global superstar Jennie Ruby Jane of BlackPink. Additional cast includes Anne Heche, Melanie Liburd, Tunde Adebimpe, Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Nico Hiraga, and more.
“After a nervous breakdown derailed Jocelyn’s last tour, she’s determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America,” reads the official logline. “Her passions are reignited by Tedros, 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?”
The Idol is written and executive produced by Levinson, Tesfaye, Fahim, and Joe Epstein. Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Nick Hall, Sara E. White, and Aaron Gilbert are executive producing. It is an A24 production.