
Adapting a stage name is a major tradition in the music industry, where artists are mostly known by their alternate
persona rather than the original one. When Abel Tesfaye stepped into this glittery world of showbiz, he
too embraced The Weeknd as an alter ego, which brought him infinite fame
and success, and a lasting legacy. But as the singer gets ready to leave this
famous persona behind, he reflects on the many ups and the massive downs that
came with his show, The Idol
, which even the star power of The Weeknd could not prevent.
Armed with
another big release just a few days away, The Weeknd looks back on the show marked
a private low phase in his life.
The Weeknd tried to sail his boat away from being hard to work with during The Idol
On May 16, Abel Tesfaye is making his cinematic debut with Hurry Up Tomorrow,
and before its release,
he recently had a detailed interview with The New York Times
. Discussing The
Idol
in this interview, Tesfaye reflected on how approaching the world of acting while
maintaining its respect was a very difficult task for him. It is something so crucial
that if you fail to do so, then “you are so easily labeled a tyrant,”
he said. As per the
singer at that time, in the world of music, he had been seasoned and able to
control his work. But acting in front of the camera and the drama surrounding it
was no less than a shell shock to him.
But Abel Tesfaye did not want to come off as
hard to work with and called difficult, probably the worst word in Hollywood. “You
don’t want to be difficult.”
He recalled that looking at everything made
him feel unpleasant with his instincts warning him, but he rather chose to trust
the professionals, the system, and saw it through to the end. “It was
unfortunate,”
Tesfaye added, summing up the entire show experience, which turned
into a media circus with much behind-the-scenes drama.
Read More: Fans Are Head Over Heels For The Weeknd’s Crazy Streak For WWE’s WrestleMania
Abel Tesfaye’s
small screen debut with The Idol
brought the singer just the opposite result of
a successful transition from songs to screen.
How The Idol made acting world difficult for The Weeknd?
In 2023, HBO
brought the series The Idol,
starring Abel Tesfaye as an abusive and sleazy
nightclub owner, self-help guru, and cult leader, and Lily-Rose Depp as a pop singer who gets romantically
involved in a complex relationship with him. The production was marred by unending
behind-the-scenes drama which led to its cancellation after one season. Though the
show was supposedly a satire portrayal of fame, glamour, and the bad things that come out of it, it ended with much worse.
THE IDOL has been cancelled after one season at HBO. pic.twitter.com/x9JnnIkn30
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 28, 2023
But with the upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow
Abel Tesfaye might get his redemption. Also starring the multi-talented Jenna Ortega, it is a movie made for The Weeknd’s album with the same name, and unravels his pop persona. Scheduled for release this week in cinemas, Hurry Up Tomorrow
could be the big acting breakout for Abel Tesfaye who sank with The Idol
two years ago.
Read More: Ariana Grande and The Weeknd’s Album Cover Gigs Are Dead Ringers and the Internet Is Here for It
What are your thoughts on The Weeknd’s comments on his
how? Share with us in the comments below.