The Weeknd: ‘Barry Keoghan was always top of my list for Hurry Up Tomorrow’

The Weeknd has revealed Barry Keoghan was “always number one” on his list of actors for his film Hurry Up Tomorrow.

The psychological thriller, which is based on the singer’s album of the same time, stars the Blinding Lights hitmaker alongside Irish actor Keoghan and Wednesday star Jenna Ortega.

In an interview with Variety, the Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, shared that he and Keoghan are good friends so the Saltburn star was always in his mind for the role.

“He was always number one on my list for his role. What makes him different from Jenna is that his talent is so raw, it just comes so naturally to him,” he praised.

Recalling the experience, Keoghan told the publication, “It’s so nice to collaborate with such a close friend, but also an artist who has expressed so much of himself through one medium and is now channeling it through another.”

In addition to his starring role, Tesfaye co-wrote the film with Reza Fahim and Waves filmmaker Trey Edward Shults, who also directed the project. While details are still under wraps, he shared that it is loosely connected to the album and explores the psychology of fame and a person struggling with his sense of self.

In his interview, Tesfaye was equally complimentary about his co-star Ortega, recalling a moment when the Scream star took them by surprise in a scene.

“Jenna brought so much depth to the character,” he praised. “There was a scene where Trey and I looked at each other like, ‘On paper, this is just ridiculous – how is it going to translate on screen?’ And she said, ‘I have an idea.’ She led that whole scene – none of it was rehearsed, and a lot of my reactions in it are not acting.”

Hurry Up Tomorrow will be released in the U.S. in May.