actor Lily-Rose Depp has no reservations about the HBO show's highly controversial sex scenes. The contentious show follows Depp's Jocelyn, a pop star yearning to become one of the top musical performers again who develops a relationship with a self-proclaimed guru and cult head, Tedros (Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. The Weeknd). Alongside Sam Levinson as the co-creator, stars Suzanna Son, Rachel Sennott, and notable musical artists The Weeknd, Troye Sivan, and Moses Sumney. Despite HBO ordering six episodes, the show will conclude season 1 with episode 5's "Jocelyn Forever." It also remains pending if there will be a season 2 despite the .
In a recent interview with , Depp stands up for ’s most contested element - sex scenes. The actor admits that the show will not appeal to everyone and argues that she, the cast, and the crew were aware of the show's provocative nature. Depp also discussed feeling safe on set during the filming of , despite its graphic content. Check out Depp’s full quote below:
“We know that we’re making something provocative and we are not shying away from that. That’s something I knew I was setting out to do from the beginning. I was never interested in making something puritanical. It’s okay if this show isn’t for everyone and that’s fine — I think all the best art is [polarizing]. I’ve never felt more respected and more safe on a set, honestly. And I think the trust that we all built with each other, you and I [speaking to Troye Sivan], and [creator Sam Levinson] and I, and Abel and I, that can only make for a really safe-feeling set. So when it comes to the nudity and the risqué nature of the role, that to me was really intentional. That was really important to me and something that I was excited about doing. I’m not scared of it. I think we live in a highly sexualized world. I think that’s an interesting thing to explore.”
Depp went on to describe the importance of ’s intimacy coordinators, calling these crew members “” people that made sure “.” Intimacy coordinators and other team members fostering safety on the set is undoubtedly crucial. However, this carefulness does not necessarily translate to how reads to viewers. Both before and during its five-episode run, and slammed for its graphic nudity and sex.
In discussing ’s graphic sex scenes, it is impossible not to acknowledge the role of the show’s creator and director, Levinson. With , Levinson already established that he did not shy away from excessive, and often gratuitous, sex and nudity. Levinson received some criticism for this in , which has only elevated in as the latter show contains extended, and notably un-sexy sex scenes, the longest of which lasts an entire ten minutes.
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Depp is not the first star to defend the show, however. The Weeknd previously argued that rather than to be sexy. With the cast and creator's defense on the matter regarding the sexual content, the controversy and audience perception only continues to bring to prominence.
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