HBO's "The Idol" has faced all sorts of criticisms ever since it aired, including the featuring of a string of raunchy sex scenes, so much so that one known publication even described the show as "torture porn." But now, there's a whole new criticism about the show that is raising eyebrows. According to eagle-eyed critics, the show is actually portraying Selena Gomez's life and considering her past with The Weeknd, some fans are inclined to agree.
If this is the case, is it possible that the former Disney star's rights are violated and can she possibly sue?
At the moment, the wrath of Selena Gomez's fans can be felt, who cannot help but point out similarities between the show's pop star protagonist, Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp), and their personal idol.
Moreover, the "Only Murders in the Building" star's fuming fans cannot help but blame the odd similarities to Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, whom Gomez briefly dated in 2017. Some think he's using her, while others believe he's quite obsessed with her.
Those who cannot restrain themselves took to social media social media to broadcast their distress over the apparent parallels between real life and the show, co-created by Tesfaye, Sam Levinson ("Euphoria") and Reza Fahim, knowing full well that Gomez is unaware about this.
The show has aired its final episode on Sunday night.
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"Ever since finding out the idol is probably just the weeknd's selena gomez fanfic i haven't been able to sleep," one obvious Team Gomez member complained.
"The Weeknd is a nasty person. the comparison between jocelyn and selena is scary and disrespectful. the idol lacks originality," another shared, apparently grouchy and hoping the Disney star can do something about it.
If this is true, some fans believe that Gomez's personal life and privacy have been intruded upon.
The protagonist of the controversial show is one broken Jocelyn, who delops a relationship with club owner, cult leader and self-help guru Tedros, played by The Weeknd. Viewers cannot help but feel that The Weeknd was inspired by what he knew of Gomez.
Both Gomez and the character Jocelyn were young workers in the Entertainment industry. Gomez had her breakout role on Disney's "Wizards of Waverly Place." Anyone can still fondly remember her as the sassy Alex Russo to date.
When a Vanity Fair reporter, Talia (Hari Nef), gushes to Jocelyn how she grew up watching her on TV, Jocelyn responds with "That is so sweet." There's an uproar over this because fans knew too well that Gomez once said something almost the same in an interview once!
It can be remembered how Gomez said "You're so sweet" when some interviewers brought up her time on the Disney Channel show.
The similarities did not end there.
In the series premiere, Jocelyn fights to pose topless for her album cover. "It is my body," she defends her decision. One can distinctively remember Gomez did her own topless album cover for 2015's "Revival," which led to many loud comments by critics and fans. However, she took to the radio at the time to firmly say that she's not going to let the naysayers get to her.
In the show, when Jocelyn's mom passed away, the star had to get some treatments at a hospital and cancel her tour. When she went back home, her team had to tiptoe around her wondeirng if she would soon be having another psychotic break while others believe she's just tired.
Meanwhile, IRL, Gomez can be recalled to have cancelled the last few legs of her 2016 "Revival" world tour due to struggling with her mental health following a lupus diagnosis. She even sought help through a psychiatric facility following an emotional breakdown, which she decided herself, so kudos to her.
What more, when Gomez released "Bad Liar" while dating Tesfaye at the same - fans have noticed she was moaning some of the words, something they insist she did frequently in songs recorded with the Weeknd. In the show, Jocelyn was compelled by The Weeknd's character to moan also, by actually being intimate in front of others!
The enumerated similarities are hardly exhaustive. If Selena Gomez somehow is the main inspiration beihnd this show but she does not know about it -- the question is can she sue?
According to some legal experts, there are several grounds that can be considered when suing for an unauthorized portrayal. These are defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity and unfair competition.
Some experts clarified that indeed, facts and historical events cannot be copyrighted, so when a moviemaker is creating a show or film based on true events and real people, he or she is not automatically exposed to liability for possiblel copyright claims that may be brought by the subjects.. However, the said subjects can still raise one or more of the claims mentioned above.
Of course, it's not set in stone that "The idol" is really about Selena Gomez. So it is still a wait and see situation.
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