Zendaya only filmed for four days on Dune: “My part is very, very small”

Zendaya is one of many, many high-profile actors in the cast of upcoming Dune movie from Denis Villeneuve. She plays Chani, a native inhabitant of the planet Arrakis, aka Dune, and fierce warrior.

It’s a great part, but because this new movie only adapts the first half Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, we don’t get to see Chani as much as we’d like. Speaking to Empire, Zendaya revealed just how small her role is: “My part is very, very small in this movie and that’s why I’m so excited to see it, to see what everyone’s been up to,” she said. “[Denis and I] had a little discussion about who Chani is and the strength she possesses. She’s a fighter, that’s what her people are. I only really had a few days with her, so I kind of scratched the surface but it was so much fun figuring her out. What does she walk like, what does she talk like? This is her planet, so how does she navigate this world? It was so fun.”

"He’s so kind and attentive to all of his actors. I was only there for four days and I did not want to leave! Denis understands what he wants from us but he’s also very collaborative, allowing me to have my take on the character as well. I don’t want to jinx anything but I can’t wait to explore her more. I hope I get to learn more from Denis. I love to learn from people who are great at their job."

Chani may not have a huge role in the movie, but Villeneuve is doing what he can to spotlight here anyway. “As the movie was evolving, Chani just kept growing and growing because I just was fascinated by Zendaya and her presence and how magnetic she was,” he said. “I shot more and more scenes with her. We improvised stuff. I was just so inspired by her.”

How to watch (and read) Dune

Elsewhere, another member of the impressive cast — David Dastmalchian, who plays the twisted Mentat Piter De Vries — gave Cinema Blend his advice on how to watch this complicated movie. “[R]ead the book first, right now, because you still have until October for Dune’s release,” he said. “Let’s call September ‘Dune Book September,’ and then we’ll call October ‘Dune Movie October.’ So, you’re going to read the book, and then you’re going to go see Denis’ version of the film on IMAX the weekend that it opens in cinemas. And then there are actually two other adaptations that have been done, as well as one that almost got accomplished.”

"I would recommend watching David Lynch’s, I would recommend watching the Syfy series, and then watch the documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune. That’s the order I would recommend, just personally. This is me talking: read the book, then go see Denis’ film, and then in November you could do Lynch’s, the Syfy version and the documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune. And then we’ll all be authorities on Dune, and we’ll get online together to have long discussions and debates. I can’t wait to hear everybody’s reactions to what Denis has created. It’s nothing short of a masterpiece."

Dune is coming out in theaters and on HBO Max on October 22.

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