Who is Jocelyn from “The Idol” based on?
Ladies and gentlemen, gather round, for there's a new juggernaut on the block - "The Idol," storming the shores of HBO and our collective consciousness with the subtlety of a sledgehammer swung by an overzealous Thor1. The progeny of Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye and Sam "Euphoria" Levinson, "The Idol" struts into the spotlight, dazzling us with tales of music, fame, and - lest we forget - a veritable cornucopia of sex1. At the epicenter of this swirling maelstrom of melodrama and bedazzled body parts stands our heroine, Jocelyn, a pop star navigating the tempestuous seas of stardom2. Jocelyn, played with infectious verve by Lily-Rose Depp, is the sort of mega-famous entity who can be identified by a single name, like a millennial Madonna or an app that's gone viral23. And no, in case you were wondering, things are not going perfectly fine for her, despite the soothing PR lullabies sung by her coterie of handlers and hangers-on.
Now, you may ask, who is this elusive Jocelyn, the supernova at the heart of this pulsating narrative galaxy? Well, she's a potluck of pop culture personas, a mosaic of musical majesty, a... you get the idea.
Let's start with our dear Britney, the princess of pop and queen of the courtroom, whose journey from obscurity to the Olympus of stardom has left an indelible mark on the psyche of the pop industry. Jocelyn's rise to fame, her struggles with her image and public perception, the constant scrutiny from a public that can't decide whether to adore or abhor her - it's all rather... Britney-esque, don't you think? Britney's tumultuous career, replete with soaring successes and heartbreaking lows, bears a striking resemblance to the rollercoaster ride that is Jocelyn's life. Both have navigated the choppy waters of public scrutiny, their every move dissected by a rabid media. Britney's well-documented struggle with her mental health and the subsequent conservatorship saga echo Jocelyn's own battles with personal trauma and the vultures in her orbit who seem more interested in her brand than her wellbeing.
From Hannah Montana to twerking sensation, Miley Cyrus' career transformation is the stuff of pop culture legend. Jocelyn's journey mirrors this metamorphosis in a way. Both characters start off in a seemingly innocent, albeit somewhat manipulated, persona, then break out into a more authentic, if controversial, version of themselves. There's a palpable tension between the image crafted for them by the industry and their own desires, a theme that resonates powerfully in both Miley's and Jocelyn's narratives.
Madonna, the original pop provocateur, has always pushed the envelope, both musically and culturally. Jocelyn's character seems to draw heavily from Madonna's playbook, particularly in her unapologetic expression of her sexuality and her efforts to control her own narrative amidst the patriarchal structures of the music industry. Both Madonna and Jocelyn are constantly challenging the status quo and refusing to be boxed into societal norms and expectations.
Doja Cat's influence on Jocelyn is perhaps most evident in the way both navigate controversies and image crises. Like Doja, Jocelyn is no stranger to scandal, and their struggles to maintain their brand while dealing with the fallout from various controversies bear striking similarities. Both figures also embody a certain modernity, a reflection of the current zeitgeist in the pop music scene.
Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, brings an interesting dimension to the inspiration behind Jocelyn. As a co-creator of "The Idol," Tesfaye might have infused a lot of his personal experiences into Jocelyn's character. The nuances of navigating fame, the pressures of maintaining a public image, and the complexities of relationships in the limelight are themes that The Weeknd has explored in his music, and these themes are prominently present in Jocelyn's narrative.
