Wait … do HBO shows The Idol and Euphoria take place in the same universe?! After The Idol premiered on June 5, 2023, fans immediately noticed *this* cameo of a familiar face from the Sam Levinson-universe. Keep reading to see an explanation of the two shows’ connection!
Do ‘The Idol’ and ‘Euphoria’ Crossover?
Within the first 25 minutes of The Idol‘s first episode, viewers spotted Alexa Demie, a.k.a. the actress that plays Maddy Perez in Euphoria, another HBO series written and directed by Sam Levinson. Although her appearance only lasts for a few seconds, she is seen hugging Jennie Kim‘s character Dyanne while at an exclusive club run by a cult leader named Tedros, a.k.a. The Weeknd‘s character.
We have so many questions. First, is this actually Maddy Perez? How did she get into this “exclusive” club as a high school teen? (Why does Euphoria take place in high school, again?) So many questions, but recent reports claim that Sam previously confirmed that both shows exist in the same universe. Which could mean more Euphoria cameos in the new HBO series — Zendaya next, please!
What Is ‘The Idol’ About?
Co-created by Sam, The Weeknd and Reza Fahim, The Idol is based on the music industry in Los Angeles. It follows a female pop singer named Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) who starts a romance with an L.A. club owner who is the leader of a secret cult. Others to star in the drama series are pop singer Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Debby Ryan, Nico Hiraga, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Mike Dean, Ramsey and Hank Azaria.
One of the biggest stars in the series is BLACKPINK’s Jennie, who makes her first ever acting debut in the first episode of the show.
The K-pop star explained during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that what originally drew her to the project was the fact that it was about the music industry, and that she thought she “could bring something to the role.”
The South Korean native added, “I trusted Sam [Levinson] to be collaborative with all the scenes that we would be working on together, because it was about the industry.”
Since Jennie is part of the biggest girl group in the world (BLACKPINK in your area!) and underwent extensive training to become a K-pop star, she said she saw the role of Dyanne as “an opportunity to just be myself and be brave. I didn’t really train for it, or prep anything. Sam wanted me to just be myself.”
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