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Stars on women empowerment and global representation in 'Dune: Prophecy'
The most secretive and probably the most powerful organization in the Dune universe is the Bene Gesserit, a Sisterhood led by Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) and her sister Reverend Mother Tulya Harkonnen (Olivia Wiliams).
These women, their Sisterhood, and their powers to control their future are the focus of "Dune: Prophecy," the first TV series in the franchise before the rise of Paul Atreides.
Developed by showrunner and executive producer Alison Schapker ("Alias," "Fringe," "Altered Carbon") and Diane Ademu-John ("Medium," "Body of Proof," "The Originals," "Empire"), the HBO Original drama series which premiered on HBO and Max, also features Jodhi May (Empress Natalya Arat Corrino), Travis Fimmel (Desmond Hart), Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (Princess Ynez Corrino), Josh Heuston (Constantine Corrino), Chris Mason (Keiran Atreides), Chloe Lea (Sister Lila), Jade Anouka (Sister Theodesia), Aoife Hinds (Sister Emeline), Faoileann Cunningham (Sister Jen), Edward Davis (Harrow Harkonnen), Shalom Brune-Franklin (Mikaela), Tabu (Sister Francesca), Jihae (Mother Kasha), Jessica Barden (Young Valya Harkonnen) and Yerin Ha (Young Kasha).
In our recent interview in New York, writer and executive producer Jordan Goldberg ("Inception," "Westworld," "The Prestige") said of the female empowerment in the series," It was very well defined. Our show is about sisterhood and the sisterhood is behind everything that happens in the Dune universe. It's led by a strong leader, Valya Harkonnen, and they scheme, they rob, they steal, they sabotage, they spy, they do everything to keep the Imperium together."
He added, "Casting is amazing. Look, we were very fortunate to have the cast we have. We have legends among our cast, we have up-and-comers who are just going to have fantastic careers. I think in every single role someone brings it."
As for the set and costumes, he said, "We had a great production designer and a great costume designer. Dune is a world that's based on its details, and you need a great trained eye in both those departments to bring it to life and I think they did a great job. And also, visual effects. We need visual effects to help extend our world. Some of the stuff you'll see is jaw-dropping."
We were able to interview some of the stars of the show during its world premiere in New York and they talked more about the female empowerment in the series, global representation, working together and being part of the epic Dune universe.
Emily Watson (Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen)
Talk about the female empowerment in this show.
It's fantastic because here we are, me and Olivia, leading a show. We're in our 50s and here we are leading a sci-fi show, which probably to our 30-year-old selves would have been incredible. But I wouldn't hold the Harkonnen women up as feminist icons. We're actually quite bad people.
Talk also about the global cast, the international casting, and representation in this show.
Amazing. There's no generic casting in this. Everybody is really interesting and brings something unique to the ensemble and its great company.
And Jessica Barden who looks like you portraying your younger self?
Yes, amazing. How lucky am I to have that incredible actress playing my younger self? It's a very great privilege.
Chloe Lea (Sister Lila)
Talk about being part of this amazing project and having all the sisterhood, powerful women working with you and being the youngest.
It feels like such a privilege. Being the youngest, at first, I was a bit intimidated before I started filming because I was around all these experienced actors who were so amazing. But everyone fully embraced me, and I felt every day was a lesson. I felt being a part of a women-led series is so cool and quite unique. It was a very interesting and rewarding experience and I'm happy and grateful to be a part of it.
How does it feel to be part of an international cast, and have global representation?
That just feels incredible as well because you get to meet so many cool people from so many different walks of life and everyone who is a part of the cast is amazing, beautiful people. I feel lucky to have gotten to know them all in the process.
So how did you bond with the sisterhood?
Faoileann, Aoife, and Jade, we all get along well. Being a part of the sisterhood we all have that connection now, which is nice because I feel like they're sisterly to me, which is really cool.
Everybody has a ring?
I mean, we're all in the same outfits, so that feels like unification there.
Jade Anouka (Sister Theodesia)
Can you please talk about female empowerment in this show and being part of the sisterhood?
Women are leading this show. I love the women in this show, in the sisterhood. The elder women teach and train the younger women to be as powerful as they are. I love that aspect of the show. So many scenes in the show are between women. Even the men in the show have women by their side, telling them what they should do which is a new thing. So, to see so many women on set was inspiring, it was amazing. I loved it.
Can you talk about the international cast as well, and the diversity, inclusion, and representation in the show?
We've got a cast from all over the world, like here today, but also in the show, we've got people from the UK, India, Australia, and the United States. It is a diverse cast. There are quite a lot of people with diverse experiences and accents. There's a real range, as it should be.
Any memorable scenes for you?
Some of my most memorable scenes are spoilers, so you just have to wait and see.
Do you do your own stunts?
Yes, I love doing stunts. I'm all for that, learning to do all the fighting stuff. It was cool.
What were some of the stunts you did?
In episode one, we were training these fights. That was really cool. Although my character's capable, it was quite easy, without any pressure. And I did a little knife trick, which was good to learn. Because when you become an acolyte, you're given this special knife, because the sisters, not only are they mentally strong, but they are also physically very skilled in fighting. So, we're honored, after we pass our acolyte training, to be given a particular little flip knife. So, I learned my character is very nifty with it.
Jessica Barden (Young Valya Harkonnen)
Can you please talk about the uncanny resemblance you have with Emily Watson?
My whole life, honestly, I remember getting headshots done when I was like 17 or 18 and people would be like, "You should play a character. You should try to have a career like hers," to the point where people have been nice and have complimented me on being in the show. And asking, "How did you guys get the character to be the same?" And I was like, "I don't know. I think it's just like I look like her." Obviously, it's a huge compliment. She has an incredible career.
How did you bond with her? What did you learn about her?
It was pretty chill. You don't know what to expect. She's been nominated for an Oscar, and I didn't know what I was getting into. She could have been like, 'Okay, so this is what I'm doing. Don't mess it up.' It wasn't like that. She's a very generous person. I don't want this to come across wrong. She's an English actress. We collaborate and we want to have a shared experience. Sharing a character with another actor is amazing. You get to geek out and have deep conversations with each other. She's very easy to talk to, something nurturing about her. I felt she wanted me to do well. I never felt like I had to reach her level in any way. She was just so supportive.
How do you feel about being part of this epic project?
I'm so excited. We get to do a show where people are probably definitely going to watch it, which is so good. And people are going to talk about it and whatever they have to say about it. I love it. You know, this is what you want to do. Like you want to be in things that have an expectation, and they have an energy around them. I'm so grateful. I'm excited to be in the show and for people to see it.
Jihae (Mother Kasha)
Can you please tell us more about your character and being part of this show?
I play Reverend Mother Kasha. Kasha is one of the three senior sisters who run the sisterhood. Kasha is also the right hand of the Emperor of the Known Universe, Emperor Corrino.
I think the audience will learn that the three elder sisters have so much love for each other. They went through so much from their childhood and grew up into this coming of age where sisterhood goes into a big shift. And before that shift happens, Kasha begins to have dreams and has her ancestors speak to her. In essence, she's a bit of a prophet that is not heard in her own home. She goes through this crazy journey in the first episode where the big prophecy that the original Reverend Mother spoke of is experienced.
What I like about "Dune: Prophecy" is that it embodies all the female empowerment, the diversity in the class, and has an international cast.
I like to think that because women are nurturers by nature, if women did rule the world, that world would be a safer place, a less violent place. I don't know if the show tells you that at all. But I like to believe that. I do believe that there must have been a society where women ruled the world.
And we just don't have the physicality that allows for the need to prove ourselves in such a way that men do. So hopefully one day we can all gather and find the power and make sure the world is a peaceful place.
How was it bonding with the sisterhood?
It was really an amazing experience because it was a span of two years. We first shot the show at the end of 2022 and then we reshot the pilot. Well, they continued shooting in July of 2023. So, we went through a lot of training together and really bonded. And every single one of the cast members is truly such a gift of humans to have met and have become friends with.
Jodhi May (Empress Natalya Arat Corrino)
Can you please talk about your character and how much you relate to the character?
I play the Empress Natalya. She's a really interesting character. She's pretty tough. She's in the world of the court and she has to carve out her space in the world of the court. So, that's something that we can all relate to as women.
Can you talk about the sisterhood, and the empowerment of women? All the female characters here are skilled, powerful, and strong.
I think Alison (Schapker) just writes the most incredible female parts. They challenge our ideas about how we see women portrayed on film. And it's so refreshing to see a cast of women and so many women over the age of 40, which I think we need to see more of, who are also incredibly strong. And I love that.
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (Princess Ynez Corrino)
Can you please talk about your character and the arc of your character in this show?
It's been amazing. And for me, portraying Princess Ynez. She's the heir to the Golden Lion throne, so she's dealing with everything that comes with that; pressure, responsibility, living a very secluded life. But when we meet her in the show, she's ready to live up to her title. She wants to be the future ruler, but she wants to do things her way. And that's very much the character. She's very much her own. She speaks her mind, and she's not afraid to fight for what she believes in.
Can you talk about female empowerment that is represented in this series?
When I read the scripts for the first time, I was blown away by how many different, complex, and interesting female characters of all ages, and they're all so different, but so good. I've never read a script like that before, so for me, that was so exciting.
Any memorable scenes for you?
My scenes with Josh Heuston who portrays Constantine Corrino were memorable. He's an amazing actor and he plays my brother. All of those scenes were some of my favorites.
Tabu (Sister Francesca)
Congratulations on being part of this huge undertaking.
I'm so happy, so excited and so inspired by being part of the sisterhood, the Bene Gesserit. So mysterious, so magical and it's a great character to play.
Can you please talk about the international cast and the global actresses who are involved in the sisterhood?
Yes, so also the most interesting part was working with a cast from all around the world. The UK, Australia, and we had people from Serbia working on the creative side, the designers, and everything. It was such a good mix that it makes you grow and it's more interesting. And you interact with different people. I think that was the most fun part of it.
What I like about the Dune Prophecy is female empowerment in action.
The Bene Gesserit is just women. Women holding the power in the universe. And what can be more exciting for an actress, for a female actor to play a part like that? So, it's great. I'm so happy that this show is being made. I'm so happy that women are at the center of this show and of the universe.
What was your most memorable experience in this show?
Shooting in Budapest, shooting with Alison (Schapker), shooting with my amazing cast members. Every moment was memorable.
Yerin Ha (Young Kasha)
How does it feel to be a part of this big undertaking?
This universe, it's been incredible. Dune is one of those universes that have been written so well with books and then with movies. It's shot in such a spectacular way. And then to be part of the TV show, which explores the sisterhood, the Bene Gesserit, has been an incredible journey.
Can you please talk about the international cast, Asian representation, and female empowerment in this series?
Female empowerment is so important. This show is about sisterhood. It explores the female emotional spectrum and the capabilities that women have and also the diversity. It's incredible. And every show should be like that.
How did you bond with the sisterhood?
Oh, I bonded very well. It was amazing working with Jessica (Barden), Charithra (Chandran), and Emma (Canning). They were my main gang.
What were some of the memorable experiences you had?
It's funny, there was a night shoot, and we would be making TikToks because we were going absolutely insane. So that was a good memory.
Have you been to the Philippines?
I have! Mabuhay!
Where did you go there?
I went to Cebu. My best friend's Filipino, so he spent his 30th in Cebu. I went to the flower gardens. I saw whale sharks. I went canyoneering and swimming, and I saw some waterfalls. It was incredible.
You went swimming with the sharks?
I did! And all I could hear in my voice was like the Moana soundtrack as I was swimming with the whale sharks.
Travis Fimmel (Desmond Hart)
I loved your sense of humor this morning when we interviewed you.
Oh, you're very sweet.
Talk about being in this international, global cast.
Oh, it's great. To be with such talented ladies as Emily (Watson), and Olivia (Williams). Everybody is very experienced, and they make me look dumb.
Did you do any physical training for this?
No, I'm glad this character is too old to do physical stuff and too lazy. I'm lucky I've got some powers in that where it's all a mental game for my character, so it's very enjoyable, and a lot more relaxing. I hate the gym.
Talk about the female empowerment reflected in this series.
Very intelligent women on the show, great characters, and worthy adversaries. I love that it's me, Mark Strong, and all these girls.
What were your memorable scenes in the show?
I had a couple of good ones with Emily. We're on different sides so it's great to meet up with her and have a little duel, a mental duel. It was enjoyable and the sets were amazing. There's free food, and you get per diem.
What was your impression when you walked into the set and wore that costume?
Nothing, I think the girls enjoyed the dressing up more than me, but it blows you away. Everybody else's costume and the world that they put you in, a lot of work goes into it and a lot of creativity. So, I'm very happy for those people.
Josh Heuston (Constantine Corrino)
One of the things I'm impressed with is the sisterhood and the empowerment of women in this show.
It's great to have a female-led show. All the women in this cast are extraordinary people and amazingly talented. I've learned so much from them the entire way. I'm just happy to be part of this production, to be fair. I'm very proud of what we've done.
Can you talk about the international cast and the global representation highlighted in this series?
There are very many ethnicities, and many accents as well. You can hear it within the show. It feels like a global and big production and it's nice that they've explored that within it.
Did you do any physical training for your role?
I did some sword fighting training. Not as much as Keiran Atreides, played by Chris Mason, but I had my fair share of it.
What were some of the memorable scenes for you?
There's a scene in episode 5 that I'm very proud of. There were a lot of emotions involved and a lot leading up to that specific moment. And then any scene with Sarah-Sofie (Boussnina). We had such a good relationship on and off-screen. I feel like it translates into work. Working with her was a blessing.
This is your first time working with Emily Watson. How was that?
She's a gem. She's probably one of the kindest, most generous people in the world. I learned so much from her and I'm eternally grateful for that. She's headed this cast, and she's looked after everyone. She's got maternal energy and I'm grateful to be on a production with her.
Edward Davis (Harrow Harkonnen)
So, talk more about your character. How did you get involved in Dune Project?
I play Harrow Harkonnen, who's the youngest of the Harkonnen clan.
I got involved by auditioning and getting the part. I think it's been an amazing part for me because it plays to my strengths, but it's also been something very exciting to explore because it's kind of... I describe it a bit like Shakespeare in space. It's epic, it's grandiose, but it's also sci-fi.
So, it gives the opportunity to tell stories in a way that you're not expecting, which I love.
What was your first impression when you went on the set, and you wore your costume?
The costume does it all. You put it on and you're just like, okay, I see who this guy is.
And the sets as well, the sets that they built are phenomenal. You'll see in the show that there are these huge environments, but it was almost that big on set. There's not much more of it, which is CGI.
So, you're kind of walking around like dumbfounded, especially if you're not used to huge buildings like I'm not.
What was the most fun for you to do?
There's a scene in episode four in the Harkonnen apartment, which is our kind of run-down, horrible apartment that the Harkonnens have to live in. And those scenes, those family domestic scenes were so much fun.
We're all trying to get what we want from each other, and it just brings it down to the human side of the whole thing. I love that. Kinda "Succession" in Shakespeare in space.
Chris Mason (Keiran Atreides)
Can you tell us more about your character and what you expect the arc of your character will be in this series?
Keiran is an Atreides. The Atreides family is in a very different position right now in our show, so it's going to be interesting to see how an Atreides deals with not being a powerful name. And also, he's working at the Emperor's House, he's the Royal Swordmaster, and he gets to train the lovely Princess Ynez and Prince Corrino.
What do you think of the female empowerment of the sisterhood here?
We went to work every day and there were powerful, skilled women all around us, so it's mirrored in the script. Alison (Schapker) has written something truly brilliant and being able to do scenes with Emily Watson and just see how she works is phenomenal. We've got some really talented females here.
Any memorable scenes for you?
I've got a lot of memorable scenes. The ones that stick out are when I got to do some sword fighting, which is always a lot of fun, and a bit of a challenge, but it awakens the little boy in me that used to run around playing swords as a child, so it was a lot of fun.
—MGP, GMA Integrated News
