HBO’s most controversial series, The Idol, is generating buzz as reports emerge that the show is potentially on the verge of getting renewed for a second season, overshadowing the intense scrutiny the project has received since its debut in early June.
For context, The Idol generated massive criticism from viewers because of the depictions of various characters and the series’ over-sexualized theme, which various news outlets described as “sexual torture porn.” The Idol follows pop star Jocelyn (Lily Rose-Depp) as she attempts to reignite her career with the help of nightclub owner Tedros (The Weeknd) following a mental breakdown. The show also stars Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Jane Adams, Jennie Kim, Rachel Sennott, Moses Sumney, Hari Nef, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and many others.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Randolph – who portrays the role of Destiny, Jocelyn’s manager, opens up about The Idol‘s controversy and why she feels HBO is happy with its performance. During the discussion, the 37-year-old revealed that the main reason people are bothered by the show is because some of the events could be based on reality:
“This is uncomfortable, but the reality is, is also the truth. This stuff really happens in life, so we can’t be mad if people are telling uncomfortable truths. That’s a part of why I became an actor in the sense of using my craft to share narratives, and hopefully by viewing it, we can start to have conversations, and the hope is that things get to change for the better. People are like, “Whoa, we’ve never seen this before and I don’t know how I feel about it.” And that’s beautiful because everyone deserves their own point of view.”
Further into the interview, when asked if there have been any talks about a renewal, Randolph disclosed that it was never intended for The Idol to be a limited series or to be canceled after one season despite many petitioning online for it to be removed from HBO.
The High Fidelity star added that although the company hasn’t officially announced any updates, however, it appears they are happy with the show’s viewership because cancelation rumors were quashed despite the series’ first season ending early, by was of HBO releasing a public statement on their official Twitter account.
“Oh yeah, for sure. I think that everyone’s intention is to have a second season. This was never intended to be a limited series. HBO has been very happy with it — so much so that there were rumors that we were canceled, and then HBO went on Twitter, which I think they rarely do. Nothing is official, but HBO is quite happy.”
All five episodes of The Idol are now streaming on HBO.