Lily-Rose Depp defends ‘risqué’ sex scenes in ‘The Idol,’ admits show ‘isn’t for everyone’
Lily-Rose Depp is dismissing criticism of her and The Weeknd’s graphic sex scenes in “The Idol.”
In her Vogue Australia cover story, published Tuesday, the actress said she was “never interested in making something puritanical” by playing Jocelyn in the HBO show.
“We know that we’re making something provocative and we are not shying away from that,” she explained. “That’s something I knew I was setting out to do from the beginning.
“It’s OK if this show isn’t for everyone and that’s fine,” Johnny Depp’s 24-year-old daughter continued, calling “the best art” polarizing.
As for “the nudity and the risqué nature of the role,” Lily-Rose claimed that aspect was “really intentional.”
She noted, “That was really important to me and something that I was excited about doing. I’m not scared of it. I think we live in a highly sexualized world. I think that’s an interesting thing to explore.”
Lily-Rose went on to praise director Sam Levinson for creating a “safe-feeling space” on set.
“I’ll never say goodbye to Jocelyn,” she added. “It was such a beautiful time in my life, honestly. I’ll never forget it and it will live in my heart forever. I love this character so much.”
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The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has also defended the show, which depicts his character, Tedros, preying on aspiring pop idol Jocelyn.
The 33-year-old called the fictional shady club mogul “a douchebag,” recently telling GQ his character is “despicable … on purpose.”
He also claimed to Variety that the backlash was “very much expected” and “exactly what [creators] wanted to do.”
Before the show premiered earlier this month, Levinson preemptively defended the series against Rolling Stone’s report that it was “glorifying rape.”
“We know we are making a show that is provocative. It’s not lost on us,” the Emmy winner, 38, said in a May interview at the Cannes Film Festival. “I know who I am.”
