The Weeknd Is Starring In A New Series For HBO From Sam Levinson

Following the cinematic masterpieces he created throughout his After Hours era, The Weeknd is making the jump to television–and he’s got some pretty good company.

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty

The singer, whose full name is Abel Tesfaye, is set to star in and co-write a new series being developed at HBO.

According to reports from Variety, the series is going by the title The Idol, with the plot following a female pop singer who strikes up a romance with an L.A. club owner that also leads a secret cult. The Weeknd will be a co-writer and executive producer, working along with Reza Fahim and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.

All three aforementioned people will be credited as the show’s creators, while Joseph Epstein will be writing and executive producing and will also act as showrunner.

With Sam Levinson by his side, this project is already garnering a lot of curiosity and support. Levinson created the hit HBO series Euphoria, the first season of which snagged multiple Emmy nominations, including its star, Zendaya, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Tesfaye onscreen. Last year, he was credited as the co-writer for the American Dad episode “A Starboy is Born,” also playing himself in that episode. The singer played himself in the Safdie Brothers’ beloved film Uncut Gems in 2019.