How Johnny Depp Reportedly Feels About Daughter Lily-Rose's Risque Role In The Idol

Between his public feuds and plagiarism lawsuits, The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) is no stranger to controversy, but this time, he's making waves for HBO's "The Idol." Likewise, his "Idol" co-star Lily-Rose Depp has become a talking point for her role in the risqué show. Lily-Rose — the 24-year-old daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis — plays Jocelyn, a struggling pop singer whose fortunes get tangled up with those of a modern-day cult leader named Tedros (The Weeknd). Tedros and Jocelyn's relationship gets progressively darker — ya'll, there is S&M right off the bat! — but given "Idol" director Sam Levinson's work on "Euphoria," we can infer that these types of steamy scenes and morally gray characters are his forte.

However, onscreen nudity and masturbation aren't everyone's cup of tea, and "Idol" has been roundly criticized for its disturbing content. The teaser refers to the series as "the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood," and IndieWire and Rolling Stone have branded it a "s**t show" and "torture porn." Another reviewer expressed her opinion that she hoped Lily-Rose was "okay" with the "exploitative" nature of the show (via The New York Post).

These aren't exactly the glowing reviews Lily-Rose might have wanted for her starring role, but her proud father isn't one to let a little controversy sway his opinion. In fact, we could argue that after Johnny's court case with ex-wife Amber Heard, controversy is fueling his comeback.

Remember when Madonna and Britney Spears locked lips onstage? And when Janet Jackson flashed her nip at Super Bowl XXXVIII? What we're saying is — both ladies made headlines at the same time they made us gasp out loud. Apparently, Johnny Depp also subscribes to this "no press is bad press" theory.

So, while viewers are out here bashing "Idol" director Sam Levinson for turning the series into "a rape fantasy," Johnny is glad that his daughter Lily-Rose Depp is taking on acting roles that stretch her. According to a source who spoke to the Daily Mail, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star "loves that [Lily-Rose] is her own person and becoming her own actress. She isn't resting her career on his success. ... He is proud of her and not lending anything to the extra chatter and drama that the role brings. He believes that she must be doing something right since the role is getting so much attention."

Johnny's take isn't surprising. While he was, and remains, a heartthrob in Hollywood, he's taken on bizarre and controversial roles of his own. Director Tim Burton is one of Johnny's most important collaborators, and together, they've brought to life characters like the deeply misunderstood Edward Scissorhands, a somewhat deranged Mad Hatter, and a Willy Wonka with over-bleached teeth. If art is about prompting a reaction from people, let's call Johnny and Lily-Rose true artists.

As we're discussing Lily-Rose Depp's role in "Idol," let's remember that while she and Johnny Depp are both cool with the show's dark thematic material, it's all totally fake. Lily-Rose and her character Jocelyn are both famous, but that's where the similarities end. "[Jocelyn] was a child actress, she had a mother who was really pushy in that way and really kind of bred her to be this trained performer, and that was her upbringing. That was certainly not mine," Lily-Rose told Entertainment Weekly. She went on to explain that despite their fame and fortune, her parents raised her with a sense of "normalcy."

In other words, no need to worry about Lily-Rose! The trauma her character endures in the show isn't derived from real-life experiences. Not only that but "Idol's" onscreen sexual violence is crucial to her character's growth arc. As Lily-Rose told People, "I also think that the occasional bareness of [Jocelyn] physically mirrors the bareness that we get to see emotionally in her." Director Sam Levinson echoed this view, defending his version of an over-sexualized Jocelyn by noting that hyper-sexuality is something to which viewers are accustomed. "We see this in pop music and how it reflects the underbelly of the internet in some ways," he added. Indeed, Jocelyn's fictional experience mirrors that of the very real Britney Spears.

Whether you subscribe to Johnny's belief that a little controversy can kickstart a career (or not), take care if you're choosing to watch "Idol."