Canadian artist Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, is set to star in his first-ever leading role in a feature film. According to Deadline, the untitled project is in production and will be directed by Trey Edward Shults and scored by the 33-year-old singer’s constant collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never.
The Weeknd developed and co-wrote the upcoming film with Shults (It Comes at Night, Waves) and Reza Fahim, who also worked on Tesfaye’s anticipated HBO series The Idol. The details of the main plot are being kept under wraps, but the movie is being produced by Kevin Turen and Harrison Kreiss, along with the Weeknd and Fahim.
The Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated musician will be joined by Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega and Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan, who recently took home a BAFTA for his role as Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin.
Tesfaye had made his acting debut in the crime thriller Uncut Gems, starring Adam Sandler and Julia Fox. He also has the HBO series The Idol coming out soon, featuring Lily-Rose Depp, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott and Hank Azaria.
The Idol, which is created by Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson, has made quite the buzz with its trailers. Although the release date isn’t announced yet, the series will tell the story of a rising Pop star and her dramatic relationship with the music industry and influential boyfriend.
The Weeknd had last dropped Dawn FM in January 2022. The actor also shared a snippet from The Idol via his social media. Check the short video and the teaser below:
