‘The Idol’ Gets Largely Panned in Cannes
A New York Times writer called it "a Pornhub-homepage odyssey starring Lily Rose Depp’s areolas and The Weeknd’s greasy rat tail."
EntertainmentTV

If you read Rolling Stone’s 13-source investigation—or Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s rebuttal in the form of a Vanity Fair profile—you’re likely to be unsurprised by the following information: Tesfaye and Sam Levinson’s forthcoming series, The Idol, was not well received by critics at the Cannes Film Festival.
The New York Times’ Kyle Buchanan likened the first two episodes of the supposed satire on fame and celebrity culture, which also stars Lily-Rose Depp, to a “Pornhub-homepage odyssey starring [her] areolas and The Weeknd’s greasy rat tail.” Collider said it “lacks depth and subtlety.” And Variety’s Peter Debruge delivered perhaps the most personal dismissal: “Levinson’s worldview seems corrupt. It shouldn’t take degradation and suffering to make Jocelyn stronger. Euphoria audiences won’t be too surprised by the shameful way he treats Depp’s character, as both she and the show appear trapped under The Weeknd’s thumb.”