Is 'The Idol' filmed in The Weeknd’s house? Here's the scoop on where the controversial series was shot

Those luxe locations have had us wondering: "Is The Idol filmed in The Weeknd's house?"

The seductive series has been filled with ambiguity from the get-go: Who is The Idol based on? Did The Weeknd (who plays Tedros) intend to compare pop star Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) to his ex, Selena Gomez? What started The Idol controversy, anyway? 

The Canadian singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, revealed to NME that he made plenty of sacrifices in the name of the series, especially after Euphoria creator Sam Levinson took over and completely changed the show's direction: "It was a challenge to redo The Idol, and, in truth, I sacrificed my health and home to make it work. So, let’s say it comes out and it’s f***ing horrible. I still know I did my absolute best."

Yes, you read that right—he said his home. Here's everything we know about where the HBO series was filmed. 

Is 'The Idol' filmed in The Weeknd's house?

Yes, parts of The Idol were filmed at the sprawling 33,000-square-foot, $70 million Bel Air mansion that The Weeknd bought in 2021. (Talk about bringing work home with you!)

According to Architectural Digest, the real-life residence—which looks straight out of an O Group listing—features an infinity pool, a movie theater, a  recording studio, a sauna and just about anything else you could possibly imagine. This is all set on a grand 1.6-acre lot that overlooks the Bel Air Country Club, so it's perfectly posh and suitable for Jocelyn's needs. And for the past several months, the singer confessed that the house was more like part of the set than his actual residence, anyway.

"I have another place as well, so I just stayed there," he told Interview. "But again, I just wasn’t myself for those five months. I was walking into Jocelyn’s house, not mine."

He continued: "I also think I’m wired different. No house has really been a home to me. For most of my career, I’ve been on the road. I really worked hard to get to touring in the stadiums, and the cost was not getting too attached to where I live or where I stay. And I think whatever that instinct was just kicked into gear when I gave my home to this show."

When Levison came in, the project had already been filmed primarily in L.A., but using the singer and actor's home was an effective way to cut costs and give viewers something splashy to admire. 

“Sitting in Abel’s house, looking around at the 40,000 square feet, I said, ‘It’s stunning here—you can’t buy production design like this. What if we shoot it here?’ Abel put down his drink and said, ‘Do you have insurance?’ I said yes. And he said, ‘I’m okay with it," Levinson told W. 

Where else was 'The Idol' filmed?

Given that the show focuses on a famous pop star's downfall, it made sense to shoot in the heart of the entertainment industry where the story is set. The majority of the series was filmed in Los Angeles, California, including at L.A.'s SoFi Stadium, during a stop on The Weeknd's "After Hours Til Dawn" tour in September 2022.

Along with the stadium, another famous pad also makes the cut: Alyson Hannigan’s IRL home in Encino, Los Angeles, which acts as Tedros’ cult headquarters in the show. 

New episodes of The Idol are released on Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO and Max.