Blackpink‘s Jennie Kim is opening up about her acting debut in The Idol and what initially drew her to the role in the highly anticipated series.
While speaking with Women’s Wear Daily in an interview published online Monday, the singer said she’s “been admiring Sam’s [Euphoria creator Sam Levinson] work for a very long time.”
Kim stars alongside Lily-Rose Depp and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye in the Levinson and Tesfaye co-created show, which follows an aspiring pop idol (Depp) who is in crisis after the death of her mother and ends up being seduced by a cult leader (Tesfaye).
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Kim, who is one of four that make up the popular K-pop group Blackpink, said what really fascinated her about the series at first was the fact that it was about the music industry, and “I thought I could bring something to the role.”
She added, “I trusted Sam to be collaborative with all the scenes that we would be working on together, because it was about the industry.”
Since Kim grew up in the industry, undergoing extensive training to become a Korean idol, she said she saw the role of Dyanne as “an opportunity to just be myself and be brave. I didn’t really train for it, or prep anything. Sam wanted me to just be myself.”
Throughout the experience, she noted that there were challenges though, especially working alongside an established actress like Depp, “because I’ve never experienced anything like that before. It was like, breaking a wall for me.” But Kim said Depp was extremely helpful on set and that it “was very comforting to have her there.”
Leading up to its release on June 4, the show has faced multiple controversies, including onscreen depictions of sex and debauchery and a Rolling Stone report that included allegations of a chaotic behind-the-scenes environment.
Kim, who is currently on tour with Blackpink, also attended the show’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, which she said she was “honored to be able to come.”
The singer added, “It’s overwhelming, but I’m grateful and thankful. All of those things at the same time.”
