HBO’s ‘The Idol’ Was Filmed at The Weeknd’s Real-Life $70 Million Bel Air Mansion

Lily-Rose Depp’s insane Bel-Air mega-mansion in The Idol isn’t only real, it actually belongs to her co-star, The Weeknd.

The $70 million Los Angeles estate that the Canadian singer bought back in 2021 is finally being put to good use. The Weeknd—who now goes by his birth name, Abel Tesfaye—is one of the creators of the buzzy new HBO series, alongside executive producer Reza Fahim and writer-director Sam Levinson. Viewers who tuned into the show’s premiere on Sunday caught a glimpse inside the performer’s 33,000-square-foot IRL spread, which appears as the home of fictitious pop superstar, Jocelyn, played by Depp. According to The Wall Street Journal, the sprawling property sports nine bedrooms, a basketball court, an indoor pool, a movie theater, and a gym. Surprise, there’s also a music studio.

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Levinson, best known as the creator of Euphoria, is the one who thought Tesfaye’s pad would make the perfect setting for the project. That is, after the two decided to scrap the original version and reshoot the entire series halfway through production.

“If we were going to reshoot from the beginning, I knew it had to be for less money,” Levinson explained to W Magazine. “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.’ ”

Of course, this meant Tesfaye had to temporarily move out of his home, but it doesn’t seem as if many changes were made to the dwelling itself while filming. In the opening scene of the first episode, there’s the same piece of art hanging on the wall of the living room that can be seen in photos from when the home was listed. The glossy orange paint, light fixtures, and furnishings are all still there too. Elsewhere, the outdoor pool area, which appears later on, doesn’t seem to be modified either.

Though, the place might look a bit different if the show gets renewed for a second season. “I changed all the furniture. I replastered the walls,” Tesfaye told the publication. “But the soul of Jocelyn’s house is still in there.”

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