Lily-Rose Depp defends Sam Levinson and ‘The Idol’
Lily-Rose Depp is standing up for Sam Levinson and their collaboration on HBO’s ‘The Idol.’
During a performance at the Podcast ‘Happy Sad Confused’Depp defended Levinson against the backlash against his HBO drama “The Idol,” which lasted just one season and was panned by critics and viewers alike. Depp, who played rising pop star Jocelyn in the series, said Levinson “always knew it was going to be controversial” but went ahead because he is “interested in that kind of work.”
“I think the stupidest thing about it was people talking shit about Sam [Levinson]who is a close friend of mine and someone I consider family,” Depp said. “I have a really good relationship with him and Ashley – his wife who is a producer on the show – and they are such wonderful people, so incredible, so kind, and they have really taken me under their wing in a way.”
Despite the show’s poor reception and negative press after director Amy Seimetz’s sudden departure, Depp said the only bad part of the experience was that “people talk negatively about [Sam Levinson] because the things they said about him, especially as a filmmaker, just couldn’t be further from the truth than at least my experience working with him. So that sucks. You just never want to hear people talking about your friend.
Depp went on to say that she personally “loved” the show and her character and was proud that she remained “steadfast” in the face of criticism. “That was a period in my life where I feel like I learned so much,” Depp said. “I was pushed so far out of my comfort zone, in the most beautiful way, and it gave me so much growth that I will always look back on it as one of the most special times of my life.”
“The Idol” follows Depp’s Jocelyn, who becomes romantically involved with a shady self-help guru (The Weekend) after a nervous breakdown sidetracks her career. After extensive reshoots and Seimetz’s departure, “The Idol” episode order was reduced to five and news of the show’s cancellation followed shortly after.
