Is Britney Spears in HBO’s The Idol?

There have been many speculations as to whether HBO’s The Idol is based on Britney Spears and whether the singer makes an appearance in the series.

The Idol follows the story of a pop idol named Jocelyn who deals with fame and struggles with mental health issues. She goes through a nervous breakdown after her mother dies.

Some have pointed out that Jocelyn’s story is similar to singer Britney Spears. In 2021, Britney Spears revealed that she just “shot a movie titled The Idol”, which led fans to believe that she was referring to Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd’s The Idol.

So, is Britney Spears in HBO’s The Idol? So far, Britney Spears does not make an appearance on The Idol. However, the HBO show does make a reference to her.

Is HBO’s The Idol Based on Britney Spears?

Credit: HBO

No, The Idol is not based on Britney Spears. Lily-Rose Depp’s character Jocelyn is not based on Britney Spears.

This was clarified by The Idol creator Sam Levinson and actress Lily-Rose Depp during a Cannes Film Festival press conference last month.

Asked whether HBO’s The Idol is based on Britney Spears, Levinson said during the press conference (via Entertainment Weekly):

"Look, I was a kid of the '90s, and she's one of the greatest pop stars of all time. And, no, we're not trying to tell a story about any particular pop star. I think we're looking more at how the world perceives pop stars, and the pressure that it puts on that individual. It's a lot of pressure to constantly have to be on, and to have to be what everyone wishes you to be. I also think that it's a lonely life."

Additionally, Depp said that they are not “telling anybody else’s story.” She explained that they wanted her character Jocelyn to feel like a “pop star of our time”.

But while The Idol is not based on Britney Spears, Depp revealed in an interview with W Magazine that Jocelyn’s “closest real-life twin” is probably the said singer.

Depp also shared with E! News that she drew inspiration from Britney Spears for the show.

"There was so much inspiration to be drawn, from somebody like Britney Spears, who I adore, and all of the other incredible pop icons of our time,” Depp said.

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Does Britney Spears Appear in HBO’s The Idol?

Credit: Vevo/Official Video for "Work Bitch" by Britney Spears

So far, Britney Spears does not appear in HBO’s The Idol. The series, however, does make a reference to the singer.

While Jocelyn was practicing the choreography for her upcoming single, Jocelyn’s team tells Talia, a Vanity Fair writer, that it’s “an homage” to Britney. Benjamin, Jocelyn’s publicist, explains:

Yeah, I think what Britney and Jocelyn have gone through is really unique, but ultimately universal, you know? Look at what she’s overcome. You know, the press has been brutal with Britney as well. Like, people count them out and this is Jocelyn saying "I will not be written off.”

According to Entertainment Weekly, Levinson clarified that episode 1's reference to Britney Spears was "more of a publicist [character]'s spinning, and trying to draw connections and correlations so that the press will write about it kindly."

While there is no Britney Spears cameo so far, at least we know that the singer does exist in The Idol universe. And with only one episode out for now, it’s safe not to rule out a Britney Spears cameo yet.

RELATED: Is ‘The Idol’ Based on a True Story? HBO’s Controversial Series Explained

The Idol is now available to stream on Max.