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The speculations surrounding BLACKPINK's Jennie's upcoming Hollywood debut on The Idol continue as the highly-anticipated series inches closer to its release date. The Idol, which marks not only her Hollywood debut but also her first acting project has faced major backlash from BLACKPINK fans for merely using the SOLO singer for clout or popularity and not giving her a substantial role in the series.
The makers are actively promoting HBO's The Idol using BLACKPINK's Jennie's name as the main attraction. Although fans have raised concerns about this previously, The Idol's makers' attempt at soothing anxious fans is not working, and thus netizens are still apprehensive about Jennie's upcoming acting debut as they are worried she might be getting a raw deal.
BLACKPINK's Jennie's fans aren't convinced about The Idol makers' attempt to publicize the show in her name
Ever since the makers of HBO's The Idol teased BLACKPINK's Jennie's appearance in the series, fans were excited to see the SOLO singer make her debut acting appearance in her first Hollywood project. However, the controversies surrounding the project and its makers have made fans wonder if they were expecting too much from the upcoming title.
It seems like the makers of The Idol are leaving no stone unturned to promote the show, using BLACKPINK's Jennie's name. A Thai account with the username @mxphone attended an event about upcoming projects, during which, The Idol was mentioned.
They shared a glimpse of the screen at the event and translated into English, they wrote:
"HBO has exciting content including #Theldol series starring #Jenniekim or #jennie #blackpink, award- winning movie Everything everywhere all at once, Harry Potter movie series, or DC superhero movie series. All can be viewed on #AISPlay."
The screen in their post read, "The Most talked about original Jennie Ruby Jane," which is the idol's real name. Fans also saw Lily Rose-Depp and The Weeknd, who will play pivotal roles in the show, in the next slide.
Despite the makers' best attempts to convince fans that BLACKPINK's Jennie indeed has a substantial role in the series, BLINKs are skeptical and believe that the makers are trying to gain publicity for the show by using the idol's name.
For those unaware, the controversy regarding the SOLO singer's role in the series first came to light when unnamed sources revealed to Rolling Stone that BLACKPINK's Jennie was used as bait with no substantial role in the series, which is being heavily publicized in her name.
The unnamed sources claimed that Sam Levinson and The Weeknd gave the singer an unimportant part in The Idol all the while using her name to woo her global fanbase to watch the series.
The sources told Rolling Stone:
“‘It was like three or four lines per episode for her,’ a production source says. ‘They didn’t let her talk that much. Her job was to sit there [and] look pretty, basically.’”
Additionally, the sources revealed that Jennie's character is pitched as "queer bait," which is a marketing tactic where makers hint at a same-sex relationship but do not showcase it.
The marketing and promotion campaigns for The Idol are in full swing, and several fans believe that the singer will be collaborating with The Weeknd on multiple songs for The Idol’s soundtrack.
Additionally, the SOLO singer is appearing on magazine covers and international shows to promote The Idol, perhaps an attempt by the makers to soothe anxious fans and assure them that the BLACKPINK star hasn't been given a raw deal in her debut Hollywood production.
BLACKPINK's Jennie and Rosé will attend the 76th Cannes Film Festival
On May 11, YG Entertainment confirmed that the SOLO singer will be attending the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 22. She will be in attendance to support her debut show The Idol which has been invited for the Out of Competition category. This will mark BLACKPINK's Jennie's debut appearance at the iconic film festival which is revered across the world.
The Idol follows the story of a troubled pop star Jocelyn (Lily Rose-Depp) who finds herself entangled in a whirlwind romance with a problematic but charismatic cult leader (The Weeknd). The Pink Venom singer's role is kept under wraps as a surprise for fans but is said to be a brief but important part of the series.
Her band member Rosé will be accompanying her to the 2023 Cannes Film Festival as well.
The Idol is set to air from June 4, 2023, on HBO.
