Troye Sivan has grown up in front of the public eye. He first appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine at just 13. He later appeared in the Spud trilogy from South Africa and became a very popular YouTuber. Sivan eventually launched a music career and grew into a major pop star.
Sivan has developed a legion of loyal fans who jumped on board during his YouTube days. Others have joined the fandom thanks to his music. Sivan came out as gay during his period as a YouTuber before he began releasing music. Over the years, Sivan has expressed his sexuality in his work. His artistry has given a voice to many gay men who haven't seen themselves represented in mainstream pop before.
Sivan will get to combine his love for acting with his knowledge about the music industry thanks to his upcoming role on The Idol. While there is still much about the show we don't know, Sivan has spoken about the series and his experiences on set.
This is what we know so far about Sivan's role on The Idol.
How Troye Sivan Got His Start In Acting
Sivan made his first appearance in a film at just 13 years old. He had a small role as a young James Howlett in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Sivan scored the role with no acting experience. This was impressive, as the scene definitely called for an actor to deliver emotional intensity and Sivan more than pulled it off.
Sivan later starred in the South African Spud trilogy as the title character, John "Spud" Milton. Sivan appeared alongside acting great John Cleese. Although the films did moderately well and were well received by Sivan's fan base, he has since revealed he's a bit embarrassed by them.
Sivan told W Magazine, "It feels like embarrassing home videos that you would watch of yourself when you’re a kid, you know what I mean? Not that I’m not proud of them or anything but I have that same feeling when I’m watching one of the X-Men movies I was in for 10 minutes when I was a kid—you don’t recognize yourself. It feels exactly like looking through an old photo album. I look back on it with fondness, but it just doesn’t feel like me."
In 2018, Sivan appeared in Boy Erased, the film based on Garrard Conley's memoir of the same name. Sivan was acting alongside Lucas Hedges and Joel Edgerton in the drama centered around a conversion therapy camp. In 2022, Sivan starred in the leading role in the film Three Months, where he played Caleb. In the film, Caleb has been exposed to HIV and is waiting three months until his test results are ready.
Sivan's Music Career Takes Off
Sivan got his start on YouTube where he often posed covers along with vlogs. Having built up his fan base, Sivan scored a record deal with EMI Australia and released his first EP, "TRXYE," in 2014. The single "Happy Little Pill" was well received by fans and critics alike. His next EP, "Wild," was released in 2015. The content of this EP would develop into Sivan's debut studio album, "Blue Neighborhood," released in 2016.
The album was preceded by a short film known as the Blue Neighborhood Trilogy. The film contains three songs from the album: "Wild," "Fools," and "Talk Me Down." The film follows Sivan and a love interest as they struggle with coming to terms with their sexuality. It was a big success on YouTube and helped Sivan usher in a new era of LGBTQ+ representation in music.
The album was acclaimed by critics and it put Sivan on the map as an artist. The single "Youth" was a huge hit and Sivan even performed it at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards. His acclaimed sophomore effort, "Bloom," was released in 2018. It contained the hit "My My My!" and the title track. In 2020, Sivan released his "In a Dream" EP, which was also praised by fans and critics.
Sivan has continued to release singles throughout 2021, including the DJ Regard collaboration, "You," which was a big hit. He also released two songs from the film Three Months, which he wrote specifically for the film.
Sivan Lands Role On 'The Idol'
The Idol is the latest series coming to HBO Max, premiering sometime in 2023. The show is the brainchild of Euphoria's Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim, and Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd). The Weeknd stars as a self-help guru and modern-day cult leader who becomes involved with Jocelyn, an up-and-coming pop star played by Lily-Rose Depp.
Sivan is part of the main cast and is playing the role of Jocelyn's close friend. Much of the details remain unknown. However, several teasers for the show have been released.
"I’m just having the best time," Sivan told W Magazine. "I think because [filming] has been such a long time and it’s been so consistent I feel like, Oh, I could really, really do this. Not even from an ability point of view, just from an enjoyment point of view. I’m having such a good time and the quality of every single aspect of a production like this is so inspiring to watch."
Sivan spoke more about his time on set with his co-star Rachel Sennott for Interview Magazine.
"This is such a dream project, so I didn’t want to get in my own way and psych myself out," he said. "That was a big hurdle to get over. Other than that, being surrounded by such talent, it’s like, 'Okay, shit, this is sink or swim. This is your moment.'"
Sivan also said that the show is very true to his own experiences in the music industry.
"There’s so many musicians on this project—I think it’s really real," he said. "Even down to the tiniest things, like last night, we were filming at SoFi Stadium, and someone from the crew came up to me and said, 'Wait, so when Lily [Rose Depp] is walking to the stage, should she be wearing her in-ears [monitors]? How does that work?' I love being in the know, and fortunately or unfortunately, I feel like I’ve come across most of these characters in real life. The Idol is batshit crazy, but so is the music industry."
It looks like Sivan can bring his personal experience to the project. Hopefully, Levinson brings the magic to The Idol that he brought to Euphoria. This show could raise Sivan's acting profile and lead him to the next stage of his career.
