Washington [US], November 17 : During a panel at the 'Contenders Los Angeles' event, 'Dune: Part Two' director Denis Villeneuve shared fascinating insights into the evolving chemistry between stars Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, and how their offscreen friendship played a vital role in bringing the iconic relationship between Paul Atreides and Chani to life on the big screen.
Villeneuve explained that, from the outset, the bond between Chalamet and Zendaya was something he could not overlook, as it would be a driving force for the success of the film's central romance, reported Deadline.
The two actors, who had a brief introduction in the first 'Dune' instalment, quickly became close friends during the promotional campaign for the movie, and their connection only deepened as production of 'Part Two' progressed.
"They met each other in Part One, briefly, and spontaneously they became friends," Villeneuve recalled on Saturday, adding, "As we did the promotional tour, their relationship became, let's say, a deeper meaning - they're close friends. And for me, it's a tremendous help, of course, because Jon [Spaihts, screenwriter] and I had structured the whole story on their relationship through the birth of the love between Paul and Chani, then the struggle of this love with the pressure from the outside, from the politics, and then the break," reported Deadline.
He added, "All that, I need, so it was all about the chemistry between them - I had put all my chips on that. And so it was crucial that to capture that on-screen and bring that chemistry on camera."
Villeneuve went on to reveal that, early in the casting process, he worked with both Chalamet and Zendaya to gauge how their dynamic would work on screen.
In a series of tests, Villeneuve sought to understand the nuances of their relationship before diving deeper into the film's production.
"We had Timothee and we had met Zendaya, we did some camera tests - not to test her skills, of course, she's a tremendous actress - but at the time I needed to know her," Villeneuve said, adding, "I wanted to see how we could establish that [relationship] together and how ultimately it was feeling, and it was a fantastic experience," as per Deadline.
The director also expressed high praise for Austin Butler, who portrays the villainous Feyd-Rautha, noting the actor's intense dedication to his role.
Villeneuve described Butler's approach as a combination of seductive charisma and psychotic menace, comparing it to a "cross mix between Mick Jagger and a sociopathic killer," as per Deadline.
Butler's transformation involved extensive rehearsal, where Villeneuve and the actor worked together on movement and physicality to bring the character's dangerous energy to life.
"Austin did an incredible job, to go back in that sexy psychotic mode... and he took tremendous pleasure going there," Villeneuve said, adding, "It was like we did a rehearsal together about the movement, almost like a dancer, to find the character through movement. Because I don't think Austin is a psychopath, so to reach that level, to go there, we had to experiment, do laboratories with movement," as per Deadline.
Additionally, Villeneuve spoke about the potential future of the 'Dune' series, noting that while he hadn't originally planned on a third film, the opportunity to complete the story was too important to pass up.
The director emphasized that Frank Herbert's original vision, which warns against the dangers of hero worship and the myth of the "white saviour," would be an essential theme explored in a possible third instalment.
"It'll be a totally different object," Villeneuve said, adding, "I don't see this as a trilogy, but yeah, I always felt that it'll be a great idea to finish that story, to make sure that the idea is that Frank Herbert, his initial desires, will absolutely be fulfilled."
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