After much controversy and talk about The Idol, its first two episodes finally premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2023.

Directed by Sam Levinson, The Idol follows Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp), an aspiring pop idol who wishes to reclaim her fame. After having a nervous breakdown that caused her last tour to be canceled, she resolves to reclaim her title as America’s sexiest pop star.

As a result, she begins a complicated relationship with Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye), a self-help guru and the leader of a contemporary cult. Much information about the show was revealed after the premiere.

Alexa Demie will make a cameo as Maddy Perez from ‘Euphoria’ in HBO’s new show ‘The Idol.’ pic.twitter.com/zunCaRPFYB

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave)

One of them is Alexa Demie making a cameo on the show by reprising her role as Maddy Perez from Euphoria.

Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez in ‘The Idol’

Levinson is the mastermind behind Euphoria since he created and wrote the series. Euphoria follows a group of teens in the fictional town of East Highland, California, as they search for optimism while dealing with the stresses of love, grief, and addiction. 

Some of the issues discussed on Euphoria are the same as that of The Idol like drug abuse, social media, toxic relationships, drug dealing, codependency, toxic positivity, rape, sexual assault, hookup culture, and dating violence, among others. 

Therefore, it is not a surprise that Levinson wants to create his own universe like that of Marvel and DC. After it was confirmed that Demie’s character, Perez, would appear on the show, Levinson revealed that Euphoria and The Idol happen in the same universe.

Sam Levinson confirmed at Cannes that ‘Euphoria’ and ‘The Idol’ take place in the same universe. pic.twitter.com/T9GpqgtgV7

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave)

Demie appears in The Idol as a woman at the club where Jocelyn and Tedros first meet. Despite the fact that she plays a minor role in the plot, it will be a memorable throwback for Euphoria fans who may be watching this series anticipating something similar. 

Unfortunately, not much information regarding her cameo or the role her character plays in the tale has been provided. She may return in the later half of the program, but viewers must wait until the season premieres to find out.

Demie plays the role of Perez in Euphoria and likely The Idol. She is recognized for her outspoken and confident demeanor, and she is generally considered self-assured and fearless to express herself. 

Alexa Demie will reprise her role as Maddy Perez in ‘The Idol.’ (Source: )

Perez is said to have a strong sense of style and is frequently spotted wearing beautiful and bold clothing. She has a complicated and turbulent relationship with her boyfriend, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi), who is also a significant character in the series. 

Their relationship has ups and downs, including episodes of manipulation, deception, and violence. Despite their difficulties, Perez stays emotionally involved in their relationship.

Perez is shown as a devoted friend who is frequently seen supporting her small group of friends, particularly the main character, Rue Bennett (Zendaya). She is also renowned for her fiery attitude and often combative demeanor.

maddy perez in the idol??? queen is back pic.twitter.com/h4gB2wWlfS

— alexa demie archive (@archivedemie)

Overall, Perez, a character of enormous depth in the highly acclaimed television series, emerges as a fascinating combination of confidence and vulnerability. She is portrayed with complexity and depth and captivates spectators with her bold approach, unusual style, and turbulent relationships. 

The reviews of ‘The Idol’

Ever since its premiere, The Idol is receiving negative reviews, to say the least. Before the premiere, Rolling Stone ran an expose on the series in March 2023. 

According to the article, the initial tone and subject of the screenplay had altered, and instead of being focused on a woman’s quest to restore her own agency, it had allegedly devolved into a demeaning narrative bordering on torture porn. 

Moreover, there were some really troublesome occurrences on-site. However, The Weeknd and Depp defended the show and Levinson.

Lots of strong reactions to out of — ranging from “I hated it” to “the TV version of clickbait” to “I don’t need to see any more of Lily-Rose Depp naked.”

— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh)

Levinson was also criticized for his view. Many complained that he oversexualizes and victimizes the female characters in his shows —  as evident in Euphoria.

Regardless, people were giving it the benefit of the doubt. But now, after the premiere of two episodes, the critics are being brutally honest about the show.

Critics are not happy with the presentation of the show, claiming that it is extremely sexualized. They noted that The Idol supports male fantasy which degrades women.

With a 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and only one positive review, ‘THE IDOL’ is the lowest rated HBO original of all time. pic.twitter.com/QCHWBI7pHu

— One Take News (@OneTakeNews)

The series has also been called misogynistic and predatory in nature. Initially, The Idol debuted with 20% on Tomatometer of Rotten Tomatoes.

But at the time of writing, it has 9% on Tomatometer with 11 reviews. The critics’ consensus reads, “Every bit as florid and sleazy as the industry it seeks to satirize, The Idol places itself on a pedestal with unbridled style but wilts under the spotlight.”