Who is Lily-Rose Depp? Meet The Idol star

"Her passions are reignited by Tedros (Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye), a nightclub impresario with a sordid past. Will her romantic awakening take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul?”

Although the cast is full of musical talent with the likes of producer The Weeknd, Troye Sivan and Blackpink's Jennie being just some of the familiar faces in it, Depp leads the ensemble as mysterious Jocelyn. But who is Lily-Rose Depp? Read on for everything you need to know about The Idol actress.

Who is Lily-Rose Depp?

Age: 24

Instagram: @lilyrose_depp

The 24-year-old divides her time between the US and France and holds dual citizenship in both countries because of her famous parents, Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp.

Depp first made her modelling debut at the age of 16 and was the youngest-ever face of Chanel, being their brand ambassador since 2015 and having a close personal relationship with designer Karl Lagerfeld. Since then, she has featured on multiple magazine covers, was named a rising star in the fashion industry at age 18 and often notes her mother as her inspiration.

It's also safe to say that Depp is an influencer, boasting over seven million followers on Instagram where she posts magazine frontals, behind-the-scenes shots and promo pics for The Idol, as well as other productions she's starred in.

What has Lily-Rose Depp previously starred in?

In terms of acting, Depp made her onscreen debut in 2014's Tusk, which she starred in alongside Harley Quinn Smith and her father. She went on to star in the Tusk spin-off Yoga Hosers, where she also worked on some singles for the soundtrack.

She has also starred as American dancer and choreographer Isadora Duncan in 2016's The Dancer, which led to a nomination at the César Awards. In 2016, Depp co-starred opposite Natalie Portman in Planetarium, where the pair starred as sisters after Portman reportedly selected Depp to play the role.

Other notable roles of Depp's also include The King, where she played the role of Catherine of Valois opposite Timothée Chalamet as Henry V. More recently, she has featured in films Wolf, Crisis and Silent Night, but makes her television acting debut in The Idol.

Who is Lily-Rose Depp playing in The Idol?

Depp is playing the lead character Jocelyn in the new HBO series. Jocelyn is an aspiring pop idol who, after a nervous breakdown derailed her last tour, is determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America.

In the featurette which aired after the first episode on HBO Max, Depp says of her character: "Jocelyn is a pop star who is constantly surrounded by people that she's not sure that she can trust."

She added: "I'm still pinching myself that anybody wanted me to be any part of this."

Speaking about what appealed to her about The Idol, she said: "I was really intrigued by this project as soon as I heard about it. The world that it was exploring with all craziness and chaos that goes on is one that we don't get to see all the time."

What has Lily-Rose Depp said about The Idol?

Despite the controversy that has surrounded the series, Depp remains positive about her experience. She said in a 2022 interview with Elle that Levinson created a "magical" environment on set.

She said: "The way he'll come up with things on the fly and just try things – it feels like the most beautiful, magical, creative playground that I've ever been on. It's a beautiful process working with him, because he draws from the person who's right in front of him and what he already sees in you as a person, and he finds ways to weave that into your character. He has a really good eye for that."

Ahead of the series premiere, Depp spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the way that she and co-star Tesfaye prepared for her role, saying: “I don’t think anybody went full method – nobody lost their minds.

“Well, sometimes when Abel would get – I don’t want to reveal too much about where Abel’s character goes, but when he would be in full Tedros mode sometimes, I would steer clear of him. I'd be like, 'He's in his zone right now.'"

She also added of her experience on-set: "For something that does, of course, explore darker themes and has some pretty heavy emotional moments to it and everything, the vibe on set was quite lighthearted.

"We're all really good friends and we all are similar people and really understand each other. We were having a lot of laughs, listening to a lot of music, dancing around, and that kind of energy is what made the heavier moments easier and possible, because whenever you knew that there was a bigger, emotional scene coming up, you felt like you were surrounded by people that you feel comfortable with, people that have your back, and you feel that in the show."

Posting on Instagram to mark the premiere of The Idol, she also wrote: "The idol premieres tonight. I can’t put into words how I’m feeling right now! This show and the people I was lucky enough to make it with mean everything to me. Shooting it was the most special experience I’ve ever had, and I thank my lucky stars every day for the most beautiful little family we all built together. My idol fam you know who you are- I love you guys so much.
"Sam and Abel, thank you for letting me be your Jocelyn. I’m still pinching myself that you picked me. Thank you for making my dreams come true, I love you both forever. Can’t wait for you guys to meet our family…."

The Idol is available to watch weekly on Mondays on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK – sign up for Sky TV here.

Looking for something else to watch? Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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