Lily-Rose Depp And Sam Levinson Attempted To Defend "The Idol" From Criticism Over Its Depiction Of Sex And Nudity

1 year ago 10

"I think it’s very true to what almost every pop star is doing these days."

Controversy has followed the HBO production for many months now, especially after a Rolling Stone article, based on 13 cast and crew members, alleged that the "extreme" show was a "rape fantasy."

“It was like sexual torture porn," one source told the publication. Another echoed, "There is no point. They’re just trying to see how much of a reaction they can get.”

Initial reviews of the show, which currently has 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, certainly do little to disprove these reports. One review from the Daily Beast said, "Depp can almost never be filmed in anything other than a parodically skimpy outfit in this horribly ugly show [...] The show’s sleaze (intentional and not) would be one thing, but it’s the hideous, self-excusing presentation of rape culture that rankles."

Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival about her character, Lily-Rose said, "I think that something about Jocelyn is just that she's a born and bred performer."

"I think that extends to every aspect of her life, not just her professional life. I think that the way that she dresses, for example, is her trying to tell you something all the time or say something to the people that she's around or express herself in some kind of way."

"I also think that the occasional bareness of the character physically mirrors the bareness that we get to see emotionally in her," the 23-year-old added.

Sam, who has faced plenty of criticism over the nudity in his show Euphoria before, said, "It's funny, I think that sometimes things that might be revolutionary are taken too far."

"I think we live in a very sexualized world," he continued. “We see this in pop music and how it reflects the underbelly of the internet in some ways. I think that with this show and working with Lily, we had a lot of discussions about who she is as a person, who Jocelyn is as a person, and what she's feeling, what she's angling, who she's playing to."

"There’s two things that happen when you have a character that has such a strong sense of self and such a strong sexual sense – you end up underestimating her because you’re not quite sure why she’s doing this, why she’s wearing this...And at the same time, it’s also what allures people, it’s what attracts an audience, it’s what attracts an imagination," he argued. "I think it’s very true to what almost every pop star is doing these days."

You can read more about what reportedly went on behind the scenes at The Idol here.

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