Dune: Prophecystar Emily Watson claimed that she was inspired by a performance inStar Warswhen she was thinking about her role in the upcoming show. TheDunespinoff showDune: Prophecyis set 10,000 years before the life of Paul Atreides, and follows two Harkonnen sisters who form the Bene Gesserit. Watson plays Valya Harkonnen, one of the aforementioned sisters, in the series. In addition to Watson, the cast ofDune: Prophecyincludes Travis Fimmel, Mark Strong, and Olivia Williams.
In an interview withVariety, Watson noted that she admires Alec Guinness' commanding presence inStar Wars. Similarly to Guinness when he starred in Star Wars,Watson wasn’t particularly familiar with the science fiction genre.She didn’t know much about theDunefranchise before her role inDune: Prophecy, but she discovered that theDuneuniverse is a “rich territory for acting.” Read Watson’s full quote below:
[Guinness] made that dialogue sound like Shakespeare, and because he did that it allowed him to have this understated, quiet, commanding presence. That’s how I found my way into this, because if you don’t take on the lines with a kind of meticulousness, they can be very elusive.
It’s a universe that I wasn’t particularly aware of, but what a rich territory for acting. There’s a lot to sink your teeth into.
What Watson’s Comments About Obi-Wan Kenobi Mean For Dune: Prophecy
The Science Fiction Genre Was Not Nearly As Popular When Guinness Appeared In Star Wars
It makes sense that Watson looked towards Guinness’Star Warsrole to inspire herDune: Prophecyperformance since they are both classically trained actors who starred in several Shakespeare adaptations. Furthermore,Guinness was also not akin to the science fiction genre when he agreed to make the firstStar Warsmovie, and famously thought the George Lucas film was going to be terrible. Since Watson has a very similar background as Guinness and also does not have much experience in the sci-fi genre, looking towards the original Obi-Wan Kenobi actor was a smart move.
Dune: Bene Gesserit Explained - History, Origins & Powers
The upcoming Dune prequel series promises to explore the canon further to explore the Bene Gesserit’s powers and where they come from.
Even though Guinness may not have been enthusiastic about his role inStar Wars, he left a lasting impression as Obi-Wan, and ensured that he would become one of the most iconicStar Warscharacters. SinceDune: Prophecyis set 10,000 years before the events of theDunemovies, the spinoff show cannot rely on any popular characters from the films, and must therefore leave its own lasting impression. Therefore, it is wise that Watson looked towards another influential actor when shaping the characteristics of Valya Harkonnen inDune: Prophecy.
Our Take On Emily Watson’s Star Wars Inspiration For Dune: Prophecy
The Actor Will Have To Make A Strong Impact On The Show
As the firstDunespinoff project, the performance ofDune: Prophecywill dictate whether the franchise can stand on its own outside of Denis Villeneuve’s films. It was instrumental that the team behindDune: Prophecyfound the right actorsto portray a brand-new set of characters. Based on her comments,Watson seemed to put a lot of thought and effort into Valya Harkonnen, so hopefully her passion will be evident in the series.
Dune: Prophecy
Cast
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, Dune: Prophecy, a sci-fi epic, follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.
