Dune: Part Two: Zendaya Had Trouble With "Futuristic Space Talk" Flirting on Set
A major component of the upcoming Dune: Part Two is the relationship that Zendaya's Chani develops with Timothèe Chalamet's Paul Atreides, and while Chalamet is considered one of the more compelling performers of his generation, the stumbling block Zendaya faced was in regards to the film's intergalactic dialogue. Given the talents of the two performers, this is likely a hurdle that they were able to overcome, but having won acclaim for her more grounded dialogue in the TV series Euphoria, we can only imagine the adjustment it took to transport herself to the world of Dune. Dune: Part Two is slated to hit theaters on November 3rd.
"It was funny trying to figure out in this futuristic space talk, like, how do they flirt?" Zendaya joked with Vanity Fair. "What does that look like for a space warrior and the young duke of a planet? How do they show that they like each other? What does that even sound like? We were definitely trying to navigate that, which was funny because all of us were stumped. I think it's just as foreign to us as it probably is to the characters."
She added, "I was like, Does Chani get awkward? Does that happen to her? Does she know what that feels like?"
A number of scenes between the two figures were filmed during "magic hour," which is the time leading up to the Sun setting over the horizon. These specific lighting conditions means repeatedly filming the same sequence over the course of days, which Zendaya noted caused some complications, but might have ultimately helped the performances.
"There's kind of, like, a ticking timer," Zendaya says of filming within these constraints. "You kind of feel like, 'Okay, we got here, but we have maybe an hour to get this.' So we revisited a bit every day, and over a few days, that gives us a few hours."
She continued, "Every time we revisited it, we kind of got to sleep on it and think about it, and come up with a new set of ideas."
Dune: Part Two is described, "This follow-up film will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee."
The sequel stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, and Stellan Skarsgård all returning for the sequel, while the series has also added Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, and Souheila Yacoub. The sequel was once again directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Dune: Part Two is slated to hit theaters on November 3rd.
Are you looking forward to the new film? Let us know in the comments!