The Weeknd to make movie debut alongside Jenna Ortega in new Netflix project
The Weeknd is to star in his first film alongside Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega and Bafta award winning actor Barry Keoghan.
Although not much is known about untitled film yet, it has been revealed exclusively by Deadline that the 'Blinding Lights' musician also co-wrote the film with Trey Edward Shults, who is best known for directing It Comes At Night.
Having worked on the production for several months, Ortega and Keoghan were reportedly ‘blown away’ by the musician's script.
The pair even signed shortly after reading the initial script, despite their hectic work schedules following the success of Netflix's Wednesday and The Banshees of Inisherin respectively.
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While the plot will be kept under wraps for the next few months, it’s also been revealed that The Weeknd - real name Abel Tesfaye - will be scoring the film’s soundtrack.
However, you won’t have long to see the Grammy award winner in his first dramatic role as he will also be appearing in HBO’s The Idol.
Starring Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn, the mini-series will follow an aspiring pop star as she begins a complicated relationship with a cult leader played by Tesfaye.
A teaser for the upcoming series has already been released, with a host of stars including Schitt’s Creek actor Dan Levy, pop star Troye Sivan and The Simpsons star Hank Azaria.
The series is expected to be award winning, having been penned by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson alongside Tesfaye.
While the 'Save Your Tears' singer seems to be solidifying his acting career, Tesfaye has also been making history with his music.
He’s recently become the first artist to surpass 100 million monthly streams on Spotify, just days after releasing a mix of 'Die For You' with Ariana Grande.
The music platform confirmed the news on Monday, with other stars like Taylor Swift only gaining roughly 80.3 streams per month, according to Billboard.
After its release, the track has become an instant classic and it’s the fourth time the pair have collaborated together.
However, Tesfaye hasn't been so lucky and was snubbed by the Grammys in 2021, despite 'Blinding Lights' becoming the first song to remain in the Billboard Top 10 for an entire year.
At the time, he expressed his frustration and told press: “We did everything right, I think. I'm not a cocky person. I'm not arrogant. People told me I was going to get nominated. The world told me.
“Like, ‘This is it; this is your year.’ We were all very confused," he concluded.
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV
Katherine Sidnell