LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Lily-Rose Depp, the talented 23-year-old daughter of Johnny Depp, is giving fans a glimpse into the inspirations behind her portrayal of a pop star character named Jocelyn in the upcoming HBO series, 'The Idol'. While she holds great admiration for today's incredible pop stars, Depp clarified in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that Jocelyn is not based on any real person.
"Of course, there are so many incredible pop stars of today that I have nothing but admiration and respect for — and of course, you can't help but thinking of when you think of a character like Jocelyn — but we're definitely not telling anybody else's story or trying to base her on any real person," Depp explained. However, she did draw inspiration from other iconic figures, particularly from the world of film.
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Lily-Rose Depp discusses influences of HBO Series 'The Idol'
"We actually drew from a lot of other influences that are not pop stars," she continued. "We thought a lot about Sharon Stone in 'Basic Instinct' and the Gene Tierneys and Lauren Bacalls... all of these women that were very inspiring to me for the role." 'The Idol' is co-created by Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye, who stars alongside Depp, and director Sam Levinson, known for his works, 'Euphoria' and 'Assassination Nation'. The series premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, generating buzz and receiving attention for reports of alleged creative clashes and toxic work environments.
In April, Depp spoke highly of Levinson and his collaborative approach, praising him for being the best director she has ever worked with. "Sam is, for so many reasons, the best director I have ever worked with," she said at the time. "Never have I felt more supported or respected in a creative space, my input and opinions more valued," she told People.
"Working with Sam is a true collaboration in every way — it matters to him, more than anything, not only what his actors think about the work, but how we feel performing it. He hires people whose work he esteems and has always created an environment in which I felt seen, heard, and appreciated."
'It was incredible!'
As the series premiered at Cannes, Depp expressed her excitement about witnessing the audience's reactions. Reportedly, she received a standing ovation that lasted for five minutes, marking a moment of celebration for the cast and crew. "It was incredible," she recalled. "It felt like such a beautiful celebration, and culmination of, like, everything that we have been through together and the beautiful process that was in the show and creating this little family together." Depp continued, "It just felt really, really nice and special to get to celebrate together, and we're just so happy with the response. It felt really nice to watch the reaction and everything and finally get to share something with the world that we're all so proud of."
