Where Was HBO’s The Idol Filmed?

HBO’s The Idol has made headlines even before the series premiere. One topic of interest is where The Idol was filmed.

HBO’s The Idol follows the story of a pop idol named Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp). She tries to revive her career after having a nervous breakdown due to her mother’s death.

This causes her tour to be canceled, and now Jocelyn wants to show the world that she’s still the sexiest pop star out there. Along the way, she meets a club owner named Tedros (Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye), who’s also a cult leader.

In the series premiere, we see that many of the scenes are shot in Jocelyn’s mansion. But where is that mansion exactly? And what are the other filming locations of HBO’s The Idol?

Where was HBO’s The Idol Filmed? Filming Locations Explained

Credit: HBO

Jocelyn’s mansion is actually The Weeknd’s very own mansion (to be specific, his $70 million Bel Air mansion). This was due to reshoots that had to be done.

The Idol creator Sam Levinson shared with W Magazine that using The Weeknd’s mansion could cut production costs:

“If we were going to reshoot from the beginning, I knew it had to be for less money. Sitting in Abel’s house, looking around at the 40,000 square feet, I said, ‘It’s stunning here—you can’t buy production design like this. What if we shoot it here?’ Abel put down his drink and said, ‘Do you have insurance?’ I said yes. And he said, ‘I’m okay with it.’”

“The bedrooms were now greenrooms; the bathrooms were for hair and makeup. We built a music studio in the basement so Mike Dean, who helped compose, and I could score the show while we were filming,” Tesfaye added.

To stay in character, Tesfaye decided to move out of his own home. He said “My home belonged to the show; it was a hub of activity. We were trying to blur the line between fiction and reality. We had cameras going all the time.”

“It was weird when they all left. I changed all the furniture. I replastered the walls. But the soul of Jocelyn’s house is still in there," Tesfaye added.

RELATED: Is The Idol Connected to Euphoria?

Credit: HBO

In 2021, The Weeknd made headlines when he bought the $70 million Bel Air mansion, which is considered one of the most expensive sales in L.A.

The property has 9 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, an indoor and outdoor pool (Talia, a Vanity Fair writer interviews Jocelyn here), a sauna (Jocelyn and Dyanne hang out here after their dance practice), a music studio, a sports court, a home cinema, and gym.

Apart from The Weeknd’s mansion, a scene for The Idol was also filmed at a concert the singer held at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium. During the concert, actress Lily-Rose Depp gave a 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,” Depp (or Jocelyn) said. She then invited “Tedros” to come on stage.

RELATED: Is HBO’s The Idol Appropriate for Teenagers? Age Rating Explained

Where to Watch and Stream HBO’s The Idol?

The Idol is available to stream on Max (formerly known as “HBO Max”). The series will have six episodes, with a new episode airing weekly.

The Idol stars Lily-Rose Depp and Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye (who’s also an executive producer), along with Troye Sivan, Blackpink's Jennie Kim, Suzanna Son, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Dean, Ramsey, Hank Azaria, and many more.

Watch the official trailer for HBO’s The Idol below:

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

The Idol is now available to stream on Max.