As a woman who has spent my career crafting compelling and powerful female characters, I can honestly say that telling the story of the women of Dune has been one of the most thrilling experiences of my life.
One of the most intriguing elements of the vast Dune universe has always been the Bene Gesserit, a secretive order of women who serve as the “power behind the throne” to many ruling houses while they secretly enact a vast plan of genetic manipulation to bring about the fated Kwisatz Haderach. HBO’s new series, Dune: Prophecy, tells the story of the Bene Gesserit order in its early years, rather than the well-developed monolith of later novels and films. This allows Dune: Prophecy to tell the story of women fighting for power and status in a universe seemingly determined to oppose them at every turn.
MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD
As a passionate fan, I had the privilege of hearing directly from producer and writer Alison Schapker, along with actresses Emily Watson (Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen), Olivia Williams (Reverend Mother Tula Harkonnen), and Chloe Lea (Sister Lila) about how Dune: Prophecy shines a spotlight on women, particularly in its portrayal of the Bene Gesserit. Watson and Williams also shared their experiences playing members of House Harkonnen, traditionally seen as villains in past Dune adaptations, but given a more complex portrayal this time around. Here’s a summary of our enlightening conversation (edited for clarity and conciseness).
Valya And Tula Bring Nuance To House Harkonnen
In the novel “Dune: Prophecy”, the Bene Gesserit group is headed by Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson), who assumes leadership after Raquella Berto-Anirul’s demise. Valya serves as the second leader of this organization. Despite her devotion to the Sisterhood, she harbors a lingering allegiance towards her exiled and dishonored family, the Harkonnens. Similarly, Valya’s sister, Tula (Olivia Williams), experiences a similar tug-of-war, as both sisters recollect the harsh treatment inflicted upon House Harkonnen by rival Imperium houses, particularly the Atreides, in their formative years.
A: How would you approach portraying House Harkonnen in a way that offers a deeper understanding of their character, rather than just the traditional “bad guys,” particularly when playing roles that aren’t entirely villainous within the Dune franchise, with Baron Harkonnen as the well-known antagonist?
Williams: Well, they’re just misunderstood, as all bad people are. [Laughs]
The origin story is never as simple as history sometimes portrays. You know, when we were studying these characters, we went to the Royal Portrait Gallery to look at the Tudor kings and queens and their cousins and sisters – who they would variously murder. It’s either played out at court or at the breakfast table, and that was the joy.
Indeed, it’s important to acknowledge the actresses portraying our younger versions, who infused their roles with such delicate nuance. They joined the cast after we had been selected, making them, in a sense, our later-self stand-ins. This allowed us to reference their performances as we developed our grown characters. It was a wonderful, mutually beneficial partnership between Emma [Canning] and Jessica [Barden].
Absolutely! It’s truly special to witness the synergy when playing a character. I always explore their past, particularly their childhood experiences and influences that shaped them into who they are. Having these intricate details brought to life by two exceptional young actors on screen is an immense privilege, isn’t it?
William: Additionally, there’s a global discussion happening currently. The reason the Harkonnens became so ruthless was due to centuries of unjust treatment.
Watson: Banishment.
Williams: That’ll do it! Remember, this is 10,000 years before Dune, so there’s lots of time to evolve and for the wounds to really be ripped open and re-examined many, many times.
Regarding her dilemma, Valya finds it challenging when recalling past events as she grapples with the query: “Am I part of the Sisterhood, or am I a member of House Harkonnen?” Given the current timeline of the series, how do you imagine Valya would respond to that question today?
Watson: I think Valya never answers a question straight.
Williams: Nor does Emily Watson!
“I lead a secret sisterhood, our job is to separate truth from falsehood, keeping the world on its proper course. However, these truths have become a valuable resource, and can be utilized to control players across the game board. It’s not just control, though; there’s a deep-seated anger within her, an obsession with vengeance that stems from her family history.
Sister Lila Gets Caught In The Sisterhood’s Conflict
In the heat of the power struggle between Valya and Tula Harkonnen concerning the Bene Gesserit order, it’s all about Sister Lila (Chloe Lea), a young, inexperienced novice within our ranks. Raised by the Bene Gesserit, I know nothing beyond this order and my training. My tender age and gentle nature have forged a deep bond with Tula, who sees herself as a maternal figure to me. However, this bond is put to the test in a heart-wrenching manner when I am chosen for a perilous mission tied to the prophecy of the Kwisatz Haderach.
A: In the story, Sister Lila and Mother Tula establish an intimate bond in a short amount of time, limited to just a few scenes. It’s easy to perceive the strong emotional connection between them. How did you effectively portray such a close relationship with minimal interactions for the audience?
Lea: Let me tell you, Olivia [Williams] is simply outstanding. A large part of that is due to her own talent, as I feel our chemistry on screen was more organic than intentional. Working with Olivia is effortless and it feels like we’ve known each other for a long time in the scenes we share together. I didn’t find myself putting much thought into creating chemistry between us because I believe there are echoes of Lila and Tula’s relationship reflected in ours.
It seems to me she might be somewhat guardian towards me, given her extensive experience and expertise in this field. This whole endeavor is still quite unfamiliar and daunting for someone like myself. There appear to be some similarities between our relationship and Tula’s with Lila. I don’t think it was difficult to cultivate these connections, and I hope that the few scenes we shared conveyed positively.
Alison Schapker Loved Telling The Story Of The Women Of Dune
Screenwriter Alison Schapker, who has a knack for crafting compelling female personas, from Olivia Pope on Scandal to Dolores and Maeve in Westworld, was thrilled at the opportunity to pen the tales of the Dune universe’s women, who were frequently sidelined in Frank Herbert’s initial novels. Schapker also took up the task of merging the storyline of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s Sisterhood of Dune with fresh characters and narratives conceived for the series.
How does it feel to have the opportunity to craft a tale centered around women within the universe of Dune, which has historically not given much focus to them?
It’s thrilling, and it seems perfectly appropriate because I feel as if women are truly present in the Dune universe. It’s delightful to delve deeper into these towering characters, so powerful, so enigmatic, as portrayed by Frank Herbert in his Dune novel and subsequent movies. Not only can we explore their origin stories found in Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s novels, such as Sisterhood of Dune and the Schools trilogy, but we also get a chance to expand and innovate based on this rich material.
I’ve never encountered a fan of Dune who didn’t crave more insights into the Bene Gesserit, making it such a joy to delve into this part of the cosmos, especially with this distinctive organization taking center stage. To top it off, having two Harkonnen sisters leading this institution is truly an exceptional honor. Exhilarating! It’s simply delightful to be here.
[END]
Read More
- XRP PREDICTION. XRP cryptocurrency
- USD PHP PREDICTION
- BTC PREDICTION. BTC cryptocurrency
- SOL PREDICTION. SOL cryptocurrency
- ORDI PREDICTION. ORDI cryptocurrency
- UNI PREDICTION. UNI cryptocurrency
- APE PREDICTION. APE cryptocurrency
- USD COP PREDICTION
- HBAR PREDICTION. HBAR cryptocurrency
- ALI PREDICTION. ALI cryptocurrency
2024-11-16 18:34