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Zendaya‘s star power has skyrocketed over the past few years, and her star-making role as Rue in Euphoria and her performance as Chani in Dune have only cemented her status as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors. Now, she is reflecting on her experience making the Dune movies on location with Timothée Chalamet. She also talked about her excitement to take on the role in what became one of the best sci-fi movies ever, as well as what it was like to work on some of the toughest scenes in the film.
The Challengers star opened up to some of her acting peers about the experience making Dune during a roundtable with THR and the perfectionism it took to get some of the most beautiful shots of the film. She specifically described one scene that was technically difficult because of the time constraints the crew had when it came to natural lighting. She said:
There was one scene that we could only shoot for like an hour a day, because of the sun. So you’re like, ‘OK, we were here yesterday, but how do we get back into that, the tenderness and finding these moments?’ In the beginning, Denis [Villeneuve] would say, ‘I’m going to do a glances pass. Just look at each other from across the room.’ I find that there is so much you can do without words. Just a glance between the two of them built this love story and made you believe it.
The scene turned out absolutely gorgeous, and Zendaya and Chalamet have incredible chemistry. The performances they gave throughout the film and their tension really led up to the moment. The desert looks stunning, and you can’t even tell that they shot it over the course of several days. Dialogue is unneeded, and what is communicated between the two characters is more than words could explain.
The whole experience was monumental for the actress, and she still feels fortunate to be a part of Dune and the incredibly well-reviewed Dune: Part Two. She loved the journey so much that she joked that she’d be willing to be a part of it in any capacity, including playing with a tree or one of the iconic monstrous sandworms. She said:
I just felt very lucky to be a part of it. From the beginning, I was just like, ‘I’ll play a tree, the sandworm. What do you need? This is just so cool. I just want to be there.
This is so funny and relatable, because it probably echoes how most fans would feel if they got to live in the world of Dune and be a part of such an incredible and unique set. Zendaya is truly living the dream. However, as much as we’d love to see her as a tree or a sandworm — because she’d somehow find a way to nail those roles too — I feel like she’s perfectly cast in the Dune role she was born to play.
Considering Zendaya’s undeniable chemistry with Chalamet and the powerful screen presence she brings to Chani, it’s safe to say she ended up exactly where she needed to be. She is fantastic, and really gets to the heart of that character, especially in the heartbreaking final scene of Dune: Part 2. I can’t wait to see what else she brings to Chani in the upcoming Dune: Messiah, and what other beautiful moments she gets to be a part of in the Dune universe.
You can see Zendaya as Chani — not a tree or sandworm — in Dune and Dune: Part 2 with a Max subscription.