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Daniel Pateman

How to watch The Idol online: stream HBO’s steamy new drama starring Lily-Rose Depp now

The Idol

How to watch The Idol online

You can watch The Idol live on HBO in the US or through the streaming service Max. The series will be exclusive to Crave in Canada while Australian viewers can catch the show with a subscription to either Binge or Foxtel Now. In the UK, The Idol is broadcast through Sky TV and is available to stream on NOW.


The Idol: preview

Lily-Rose Depp is blighted by the bright lights of Hollywood in this controversial new HBO drama series. Co-created by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, The Idol debuted at the Cannes Film Festival and scandalized viewers for its gratuitous sex scenes and graphic nudity. It’s a wilfully provocative show about modern celebrity, and its starry cast and producers clearly intend to push buttons.

Depp plays aspiring pop idol, Jocelyn. Despite having suffered from a nervous breakdown, her handlers urge her to stage an epic comeback and reclaim her title as the “sexiest pop star in America”. When she meets Tedro (Grammy-winning artist “The Weeknd”), the charismatic leader of a modern-day cult, he starts grooming the starlet for success: the two of them form an emotional and intensely physical bond that finds Jocelyn succumbing to the impresario’s insidious influence.

The 5-part series features an incredible ensemble of well-known musicians and actors that lends this music industry fable an edgy dose of reality. The cast includes record producer Mike Dean, rapper Jennine Ruby Lane, and Tyson Ritter of The All-American Rejects fame, alongside actress Jane Adams (HBO’s Hung), Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek), Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building), and the late Anne Heche in her final TV role.

Dubbed a “gorgeous-looking horror show” by Vogue, The Idol explores the drug-fuelled excesses of celebrity and the toxicity of the music industry in a shocking, stylish, and compelling way that's almost certain to get viewers talking.


How to watch The Idol on Max in the US

What else can I watch on Max?

There are plenty of other big-name shows on Max including critically acclaimed series The Last of UsBarryThe White Lotus, Insecure and Succession, award-winning animated movies from Studio Ghibli, DC Universe shows like Peacemaker, Doom Patrol, and Harley Quinn, plus Sex and the City, Euphoria, and not forgetting Game of Thrones.

The 7-day Max free trial has long since been discontinued. But, if you're a current HBO Now subscriber or pay for HBO through your cable provider, you could be entitled to HBO Max at no extra cost.

Devices compatible with Max include iPhone and Android devices, Apple and Samsung TVs, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, Chromecast and Chromebooks, and laptops and PCs. Max on Roku and Amazon Fire Stick are also available.

How to watch The Idol in the UK

How to watch The Idol online in Canada for FREE

How to watch The Idol online for FREE in Australia

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