To create the now-iconic dance behind “World Class Sinner/I’m A Freak” from HBO’s “The Idol,” choreographer Nina McNeely first had to understand the origins of pop star and musical sensation Jocelyn (played by Lily-Rose Depp).

"She's a former child star. She was at the height of her fame, but then she went through a rough patch and had a mental breakdown. And in the rehearsal scene, that's her big comeback; she's rehearsing for her big comeback, so there's an insane amount of pressure on her," McNeely explained on Variety's Artisans series, presented by HBO. "She's had tours canceled; she's got to get that money back. She's got to top the charts, and she's doing that rehearsal in the middle of a scandal."

Visual artist and dance legend McNeely has collaborated with Major Lazer, Björk, the Foo Fighters and (of course) The Weeknd. "I started working with Able [aka The Weeknd] because he's a Gaspar Noé fan, and I choreographed the film 'Climax.'" That curiosity led to a long-term working relationship between the two.

So when “The Idol” co-creators Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim needed a choreographer for Jocelyn’s “World Class Sinner / I'm a Freak” and “Dollhouse,” The Weeknd (who also stars in the show and lent the production his home for filming) knew exactly who to call.