The Idol cast unpack the twist finale with Jocelyn and Tedros
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Warning: This article contains spoilers from The Idol finale, "Jocelyn Forever."
"You're mine forever. Now go stand over there."
With these words, Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) made it clear that she's the one in control now. After five episodes of trauma and manipulation, the finale of The Idol revealed that pop star Jocelyn has been one step ahead of pimp-turned-pseudo-cult-leader Tedros (Abel "the Weeknd" Tesfaye) the whole time.
"Jocelyn is a very calculated and strategic person," explained Depp in an HBO featurette unpacking the episode. "She knows what she wants and she's going to stop at nothing to get it. What we realize at the end is that Tedros is her muse and that she got what she needed out of him."
"I think a lot of the audience will watch a few episodes and think this guy is taking advantage of her," she continued. "By the end she realizes that she knows exactly what he's doing and she knows exactly what she's doing."
Creator Sam Levinson also addressed the twist ending, noting that Jocelyn's journey with Tedros has always been about finding the next step in her career. "Throughout the season, Jocelyn has been searching for inspiration," he said. "She's looking to go to an uncomfortable place and is just ultimately looking for that next song, that next album. Tedros becomes the conduit for that creative unlocking."
After being offered a payoff that he refuses, Tedros is cut down to size. Chaim (Hank Azaria) feeds Tania (Hari Nef) a story about Tedros' murky past, and Tedros loses ownership of his club after his criminal history is revealed.
"[Jocelyn] needs to devour those around her to feel like she's got something to say," added Levinson. "We also see how desperate Tedros has become. This pimp from the Midwest who shows up in Beverly Hills ends up being the victim."
Eddy Chen/HBO Abel Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp in 'The Idol'
The episode ends with Jocelyn's triumphant return to the concert stage, which was shot during the Weeknd's tour dates at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles in front of a live audience of 70,000 people.
"That was one of the craziest experiences I think I'll ever have in my life," said Depp, adding the ways in which Jocelyn's final gown reveal her transformation. "After everything that she's gone through in this season, she's found something that feels right to her. You can see that in the costumes and in her energy, also, in that final episode. She's gone through these moments where she's a little bit darker and wearing a lot of darker colors. But she ends up in this kind of angelic state. It says a lot about the new freedom that she's allowing herself."
Watch the featurette above for more.
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