Naman Shrestha
Created by Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, Reza Fahim, and Sam Levinson, HBO’s ‘The Idol’ is a drama series that centers upon the life of Jocelyn, an aspiring pop idol whose last tour doesn’t go exceptionally smoothly as it gets interrupted with her going through a nervous breakdown. In her determined quest to reclaim her rightful crown of being the greatest and sexiest pop star in the country, she comes across a nightclub impresario named Tedros, who is actually the head of a contemporary cult and a self-help guru.
As Jocelyn indulges in a complex relationship with Tedros, she will either reach new heights in her career or get lost in her soul’s deepest and darkest pit. Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp star as the leading cast of the drama show while they are joined by a group of other talented actors, including Troye Sivan, Dan Levy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Suzanna Son, Jennie Ruby Jane, and Jane Adams. The glitz and glamour related to stardom are portrayed clearly by the inclusion of some of the lavish places in the backdrop. If you wish to know their specifics, we have got you covered!
The Idol Filming Locations
‘The Idol’ is filmed in California, especially in Los Angeles County. The principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the Lily-Rose Depp starrer commenced in November 2021, but when Tesfaye had to co-headline Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with Swedish House Mafia on short notice, the shooting got paused in April 2022.
About a month later, in May 2022, the production got back on track only to get halted again in early July due to Tesfaye’s ‘After Hours til Dawn Tour.’ Finally, the shooting for the debut season got wrapped up in September of the same year. Now, without further ado, let’s follow Jocelyn as she navigates her relationship with Tedros and get a detailed account of all the specific locations that feature in the HBO show!
Los Angeles County, California
Most of ‘The Idol’ takes place across different sites in Los Angeles County. Firstly, the scenes involving the headquarters of Tedros’ cult in season 1 were taped in the former property of Alyson Hannigan, which sits at 4411 Noeline Avenue in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles. The five-bedroom, eight-bathroom property, with a pool, tennis court, and spa, was rented by the makers of ‘The Idol’ during the early stages of production.
However, to compensate for the cost of renting this lavish property and tone down the budget when extensive reshoots were required, Tesfaye lent his own home to the project, and the remainder of Tedros’ cult’s headquarters scenes for season 1 was taped in the property. Situated at 534 Barnaby Road in Los Angeles’ Bel-Air Country Club, Tesfaye purchased the luxurious house in 2021 for a massive $70 million.
Sitting on a 1.6-acre lot, on the inside, the property consists of nine bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a gym, a movie theater, a music studio, a sauna, and an indoor pool. Besides, it comes with amenities on the exterior portion of the property, including multiple outdoor entertaining spaces, a sports court, and an infinity-edge pool with a waterfall.
Moreover, in September 2022, some final tapings for season 1 were done at an actual Tesfaye concert in SoFi Stadium at 1001 Stadium Drive in Inglewood. Reportedly, the audience members were informed of the filming beforehand. During the show, Lily-Rose Depp gave a loud monologue while in character onstage, “Tonight is incredibly special because I have the opportunity to introduce you to the love of my life—the man who pulled me through the darkest hours and into the light.” After this, she invited Tesfaye by his character’s name on stage to complete shooting the sequence.
