The Idol star DaVine Joy Randolph has insisted that the controversial drama will return for a second season despite its first ending an episode earlier than believed.
The HBO series, created by The Weeknd and Euphoria writer Sam Levinson, follows pop superstar Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) as she falls under the spell of nightclub owner and cult leader Tedros (Abel Tesfaye, AKA The Weeknd).
Since it first aired, the show has been widely criticised for its explicit and degrading sexual content.
Following episode four airing last week, fans were shocked to learn that just one episode remains of The Idol, despite the show originally being listed as clocking in at six episodes.
However, speaking in a new interview, Randolph, who plays Jocelyn’s manager, Destiny, said that a second season was still on the cards.
The Only Murders in the Building actor told Variety that season one contained “Easter eggs and some stuff put in there that set things up for season two”, with the show’s end “definitely open where there could be a season two”.
Asked if there had been conversations about a second outing, she said: “Oh yeah, for sure. I think that everyone’s intention is to have a second season. This was never intended to be a limited series.
Hank Azaria and DaVine Joy Randolph in ‘The Idol'— (HBO)
“HBO has been very happy with it – so much so that there were rumours that we were cancelled, and then HBO went on Twitter, which I think they rarely do. Nothing is official, but HBO is quite happy.”
On 15 June, HBO released a statement responding to a Page Six report claiming that The Idol would not be returning and was “always” intended as a limited series.
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In response, the broadcaster tweeted: “It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night.”
While original reports suggested that The Idol would be six episodes long, Sunday (2 July) night’s fifth episode, titled “Jocelyn Forever”, will also be its finale.
Speaking to TVLine about the changing length of the show, a source said: “The season ended up being five episodes when it was all said and done after Sam took over and made significant changes. The story only ended up requiring five.”
‘The Idol’ will conclude on Sunday after just five episodes— (HBO)
While Levinson was one of the original co-creators of the show, he only took over as series director when Amy Seimetz left abruptly in 2022.
In March, a report by Rolling Stone alleged that the show went “disgustingly off the rails” following Seimetz’s departure, turning it “from satire to the thing it was satirising”. Another unnamed production member said the show was like a “rape fantasy”.
Tesfaye went on to defend the show against the allegations, with Vanity Fair reporting that “logistical difficulties with Seimetz’s schedule,” production timelines and “a desire not to rush his first show,” were behind the overhaul of the series.
“Shows get reshot every day,” he added.
The Idol concludes Sunday 2 July on HBO in the US and Monday 3 July on Sky Atlantic and Now in the UK.
