Blackpink’s Jennie to make acting debut in HBO drama ‘The Idol’

Jennie of popular K-pop girl group Blackpink will make her acting debut in the upcoming HBO drama series “The Idol,“ according to her label YG Entertainment on Tuesday.

Co-produced by Canadian singer Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name The Weeknd, Sam Levison and Reza Fahim, the series is set against the backdrop of the music industry in Los Angeles.

The story revolves around a self-help guru and cult leader who develops a complicated yet romantic relationship with an up-and-coming female pop idol, played by French-American actress and model Lily-Rose Depp.

While Jennie’s role in the series remains unclear, a 90-second trailer of “The Idol” released on HBO’s official YouTube channel Sunday shows Jennie dancing with a group led by Depp’s character.

“As soon as I read the script, I really wanted to join the cast. I found it very attractive,” stated Jennie in a statement. “I‘ll do my best, so please look forward to it.“

Other cast members include Troye Sivan and Debby Ryan. The exact date of the series’ release and the number of episodes have not yet been unveiled.

Jennie debuted as a member of Blackpink with the EP “Square One” in August 2016, which included hit songs “Whistle” and “Boombayah.”

The group has released several hit songs, including “Playing With Fire,” “Forever Young,” “Lovesick Girls,” “Kill This Love,” and “Ddu-du Ddu-du.”

Meanwhile, the four-member group is slated to make a return to music next month. It will mark Blackpink’s first full-group return since the release of its first full-length album “The Album” in October 2020.

By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)