The Weeknd defends Tedros, 'gross' sex scene in The Idol: There's nothing sexy about it
The Weeknd defends controversial sex scene in The Idol Photograph:( X )
Story highlights
HBO show The Idol has been in the news ever since episode 2 debuted. One episode features some explicit intimacy scenes that people find "disgusting and gross". The Weeknd, who plays Tedros on the show, has now defended the scene and his sickening character.
HBO show The Idol has been in the news ever since episode 2 debuted. One episode features some explicit intimacy scenes that people find "disgusting and gross". The Weeknd, who plays Tedros on the show, has now defended the scene and his sickening character.
Amid a whole debate around sex scenes in The Idol that come across as “gross” and “vulgar” and crossing boundaries, singer Abel Tesfaye, popularly known as The Weeknd, gave a statement on how he and the makers envisioned his controversial character on the HBO show. His character, Tedros was supposed to make us uncomfortable, he said. In a statement, The Weeknd said, “There’s nothing sexy about it. However you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters. It’s all those emotions adding up to: this guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.”
The Weeknd wants you to detest Tedros on The Idol
This means it's mission accomplished for The Weeknd as he tried to portray Tedros as a sickening guy who thinks way too high of himself in The Idol. In the controversial scene that has caught the attention of all watchers, Jocelyn (Lily Rose-Depp) strips for Tedros on the bed as he asks her to do things we can’t write here. The sex scene is a part of episode 2 of the much-talked-about HBO show The Idol. It is currently streaming on Max.
The Weeknd not only stars in the show as a lead but is also co-creator of the show along with Euphoria’s Sam Levinson.
Abel continues, “The sex, it’s so gluttonous. Especially in Episode 2. ‘Gluttony’ is the only word I can think of [to describe it]. [Tedros] can’t believe he’s there. He comes off like such a loser. Those moments are the humanity that you find in a psychopath, the chink in his armor.”
Abel Tesfaye plays a cult-like club magnet who preys on a vulnerable pop icon struggling to create new music after the death of her mother derailed her arena tour.
"He's a psychopath", says The Weeknd on his character
Tesfaye added of his character, “He’s despicable, a psychopath — why sugarcoat it? There’s nothing really mysterious or hypnotising about him. And we did that on purpose with his look, his outfits, his hair — the guy’s a douchebag. You can tell he cares so much about what he looks like, and he thinks he looks good. But then you see these weird moments of him alone — he rehearses, he’s calculated. And he needs to do that, or he has nothing, he’s pathetic. This is true of a lot of people who are a fish out of the water, put into these scenarios.”
The controversial sex scene has led to negative feedback for The Idol
Meanwhile, the ratings and viewership of episode 2 of The Idol have dropped sharply. It is down by 12% from the first episode. Netizens expressed their displeasure at the sex scenes in episode 2.
