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The Weeknd to Make Feature Film Acting Debut
The Weeknd is headed to the big screen.
After conquering the music charts, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye will make his feature acting debut in an untitled film that also stars Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”) and Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin), reports Deadline.
The Weeknd co-wrote the script with his producing partner Reza Fahim, while Trey Edward Shults (Waves, It Comes At Night) will serve as director. Plot details remain under wraps, but the film is currently in production.
EXCLUSIVE: Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye is teaming with ‘Waves’ helmer Trey Edward Shults on an untitled film that also stars Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan https://t.co/c9v30ra6mg
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) February 28, 2023
According to the report, The Weeknd has been secretly working on the project for months and Ortega and Keoghan signed on after “being blown away by the script.” Composer and producer Oneohtrix Point Never will oversee the score alongside The Weeknd. OPN previously scored Uncut Gems, which featured a cameo from The Weeknd.
While this will mark his first feature film role, The Weeknd can also be seen in “The Idol,” the HBO series he helmed with “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson.
Meanwhile, his music career continues to thrive. On Monday, he became the first artist to reach 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Last week, he dropped a remix to his Dawn FM hit “Die for You” with Ariana Grande, which received 23.2 million Spotify streams in less than a week.
It’s official: On February 27, The Weeknd became the first artist in Spotify History to reach 100 Million monthly listeners 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YwslzheIDN
— Spotify (@Spotify) February 27, 2023