Adapting a stage name is a major tradition in the music industry, where artists are mostly known by their alternate persona rather than the original one. When Abel Tesfaye stepped into this glittery world of showbiz, he too embraced The Weeknd as an alter ego, which brought him infinite fame and success, and a lasting legacy. But as the singer gets ready to leave this famous persona behind, he reflects on the many ups and the massive downs that came with his show, The Idol, which even the star power of The Weeknd could not prevent.

Armed with another big release just a few days away, The Weeknd looks back on the show marked a private low phase in his life.

On May 16, Abel Tesfaye is making his cinematic debut with Hurry Up Tomorrow, and before its release, he recently had a detailed interview with The New York Times. Discussing The Idol in this interview, Tesfaye reflected on how approaching the world of acting while maintaining its respect was a very difficult task for him. It is something so crucial that if you fail to do so, then “you are so easily labeled a tyrant,” he said. As per the singer at that time, in the world of music, he had been seasoned and able to control his work. But acting in front of the camera and the drama surrounding it was no less than a shell shock to him.

 But Abel Tesfaye did not want to come off as hard to work with and called difficult, probably the worst word in Hollywood. “You don’t want to be difficult.” He recalled that looking at everything made him feel unpleasant with his instincts warning him, but he rather chose to trust the professionals, the system, and saw it through to the end. “It was unfortunate,” Tesfaye added, summing up the entire show experience, which turned into a media circus with much behind-the-scenes drama.

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Abel Tesfaye’s small screen debut with The Idol brought the singer just the opposite result of a successful transition from songs to screen.

In 2023, HBO brought the series The Idol, starring Abel Tesfaye as an abusive and sleazy nightclub owner, self-help guru, and cult leader, and Lily-Rose Depp as a pop singer who gets romantically involved in a complex relationship with him. The production was marred by unending behind-the-scenes drama which led to its cancellation after one season. Though the show was supposedly a satire portrayal of fame, glamour, and the bad things that come out of it, it ended with much worse.

But with the upcoming Hurry Up Tomorrow Abel Tesfaye might get his redemption. Also starring the multi-talented Jenna Ortega, it is a movie made for The Weeknd's album with the same name, and unravels his pop persona. Scheduled for release this week in cinemas, Hurry Up Tomorrow could be the big acting breakout for Abel Tesfaye who sank with The Idol two years ago.

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