Finally debuting this weekend, Dune: Prophecy will offer a deeper look into the world created by Frank Herbert hundreds of years before the events of Villeneuve’s films. The new HBO show focuses on the Harkonnen family, their rise to power and the formation of the Bene Gesserit. The show stars Mark Strong from Kingsman series and The wizardJodhi May as Emperor Javicco Corrino and his wife Empress Natalya alongside ChernobylEmily Watson, The crownby Olivia Williams, and Vikings‘Travis Fimmel.
Although Villeneuve’s films are largely focused on the rise of Paul Atreides, Prophecy it has much more to do with the political schemes of the various groups that vied for leadership 10,000 years ago. However Dune: Prophecy is largely about the Harkonnens, the Corrino family also plays a key role. Much of the show takes place in Salusa Secundus, the home of House Corrino and the leaders of the Empire, and focuses on the tenuous grip the group has on its power.
Screen speech interviewed Mark Strong and Jodhi May to discuss creating an unconventional portrait of the Emperor and Empress, navigating a world of political distrust, and compromising whatever is necessary for House Corrino.
Strong and Hart play an “unconventional portrait of an emperor and empress”
Shifts in power dynamics are key in Dune: Prophecy
Screen Rant: This show is absolutely incredible and I was blown away by the production value, the acting, and everything involved. Jodhi, Empress Natalya has a complex relationship with the Thinking Machines. What are your views and how do they influence your decisions for the Empire?
Jodhi May: Oh, my God, that’s a great question. They completely define the character of Empress Natalia. She is one of the few characters who is deeply suspicious of the Brotherhood and relies heavily on instinct. We really realized in that first episode what it means for Thinking Machines to come back into use, as they, like AI, present this real existential threat to the Empire.
Mark, the turmoil on Arrakis and across the Empire poses challenges for Emperor Javicco. How do these insurgencies impact your government and peacekeeping strategies?
Mark Strong: Well, the lovely phrase that’s used about him is “managing a fragile peace,” and that’s absolutely right, because he’s responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly. But he’s having a lot of trouble doing that because there are a lot of people vying for power in his world, and he’s not necessarily the best kind of guy to be in control of it all. He inherited this power without actually achieving any of it, so there’s a lovely insecurity about him, which makes the whole world a little unstable.
I want to talk about one of the most mysterious characters in this series, Desmond Hart. Natalya sees potential in Desmond Hart. How does she plan to use him to further House Corrino’s ambitions?
Jodhi May: It’s really interesting because I think what I love about Alison’s writing is that we see a really unconventional portrait of an Emperor and an Empress, where the roles are kind of reversed, or we’re starting to see something unfold. There’s this feeling of deep frustration that Natalya has with the Emperor being so weak and prevaricating, and it’s a real game changer when Desmond Hart enters.
Like any opportunist, I think she sees this as a time to change things. He really throws things up in an interesting way and presents Natalya with the kind of lifeline she needs at that particular moment.
Speaking of Desmond Hart, how does Emperor Corrino perceive him? Does he see you as an ally or a potential threat? And can you talk about working with Travis? Because I feel like he brings a very different energy to the show.
Mark Strong: Yes, yes, yes. You are absolutely right. The Emperor’s relationship with him changes subtly throughout the first episodes because he initially distrusts him a lot. He can’t understand how this guy survived the attack you find out he suffered at the end of the first episode. Then [Desmond] undertakes something in his name – basically commits murder in his name without Javicco ever asking him to do it – which he initially becomes incredibly suspicious about and realizes, “No, I can’t deal with this guy.”
But then he begins to realize that Desmond might actually be incredibly helpful because he appears to be offering his services. It can become a very useful weapon to help a guy who, as I said before, is managing this fragile peace. And this guy could be the missing piece of the puzzle.
Travis, to answer the second part of your question, looks very different. It behaves very differently. I mean, the world that’s being created suddenly has a character who is obviously not from that world. So that in itself is interesting.
Another thing I love about this show is that we can dive deeper into the Houses we know and some we don’t. Jodhi, How do you envision the foundational elements of House Corrino being established in this series, possibly planting seeds for future leaders like Shaddam?
Jodhi May: This is a very complex issue. I think there’s a lot we don’t know, so it will be very interesting to see how this plays out. But what’s interesting is I think all of these characters really leave you guessing, and we’re presented with a situation where the power dynamics are shifting. So I guess we’ll have to see that play out, in answer to your question.
Emperor Corrino would compromise “almost everything” for his house
Delving deeper into the layers of Dune’s political powers
Mark, in efforts to stabilize his home, what would Emperor Corrino be willing to ignore or compromise?
Mark Strong: I think pretty much anything, as long as it helps him stay in power. What he compromises are his principles. He allows this loose cannon of a man, who is frankly not afraid to commit murder despite not being asked to do so, [to lead]. He’s fully prepared, and I don’t think he himself knew this at the outset, to compromise those principles and employ this frankly dangerous and erratic weapon that he’s not sure he can control. He begins to realize that [Desmond] could be useful, and this happens to the detriment of his relationship with his family.
Jodhi, what can you tell us about Natalya’s relationship with Constantine and Ynez? What would family dinners be like at Casa Corrino?
Jodhi May: Well, it’s a beautifully complex family, and what you see is this incredible mother-daughter relationship that involves conflict, and I’m fascinated to see where that goes. I think, without wanting to give spoilers, there is a lot of history in this family. There is a lot of ambivalence that will be interesting to explore in the next episodes. But it’s a fragile balance, I think.
What I personally love about playing Prince Natalya and the relationship she has with her daughter is that it’s an unconventional portrayal of motherhood. There are some interesting surprises in this regard to come.
The dynamic with figures like Constantine and Ynez also provides a new layer for Javicco. Mark, how does this influence your approach to government and your relationships with other Houses?
Mark Strong: He adores his daughter and is exasperated with his son, so that gives him extra value. He’s not just a guy in power trying to maintain spice production on Arrakis; he is trying to compete with the other Houses and is also a family man. He also has to deal with all of this, so it’s good to see the turmoil going on behind the facade of what he has to present to the Landsraad, as it’s called when they’re all gathered together.
As far as the other Great Houses are concerned, he is in constant battle; trying to stay in power, trying to keep the right people on your side. The fact that he is marrying off his daughter to a 9 year old in order to try and secure some aircraft so he can continue to control spice production and therefore stay in power is proof that this world is incredibly dangerous and he will do anything to remain in command. And if that means bypassing the other Houses, so be it.
Time in this show is explored in a different way, and we saw flashbacks to the Harkonnen sisters, the Brotherhood being formed, and House Atreides. Will we have any Corrino family flashbacks?
Mark Strong: I don’t know if we’ll get any Corrino family flashbacks, but episode 3 isn’t a full flashback [to young Tula and Valya]? Unfortunately, you don’t have anything like that for the Corirno family yet.
Jodhi May: Not yet. Who knows.
Do you each have an episode that fans should watch when it comes to your characters?
Mark Strong: Well, the later episodes become interesting for me. I think Javicco’s journey in the first few episodes is fascinating, and it’s really about him and Desmond Hart. But what happens in the later episodes is that you learn a little more about his life and why he is a little the way he is. It culminates in some pretty complicated issues that occur in the later parts of the series that I can’t divulge at this time. But it’s never less than interesting, let me put it that way.
Jodhi May: Yes, I would agree with Mark. I think the one thing about this series is that it really keeps you guessing. Without wanting to give spoilers, I think Empress Natalya really evolves in the later episodes in a very interesting and unexpected way.
What I personally love about episode 4, for example, is that we really start to see the world of Dune that we already know well, in terms of the imagery and the kind of lore of Arrakis and the Worm. Visually, this starts to integrate into the world of our series, and we really see how one informs the other. I found that very exciting as a fan.
I am a big Dune fan too, and I love this series. Can you talk about working with Alison Schapker and Jordan Goldberg as collaborators to bring these characters to life in this world?
Mark Strong: Yes, they were relentless, I must say. Alison was dealing with the whole SAG strike and the writers’ strike, and all of that was being created and honed and worked on during that time, which was an incredibly difficult time for her. She remained absolutely on top of it. I don’t know how she did it.
And Jordan Goldberg is a star. He was there mixing, always present and always available for information and chats. The two were tireless in bringing this to the screen. Honestly, great respect for both of them.
Jodhi May: I just want to say that, for me, Alison is kind of a hero. I just feel like she writes for these incredibly strong, kick-ass women – and it’s so exciting to have that on the page. Plus she’s brave [with] pieces for older women. Sorry to say it again, but there are only a few, and she is one of the champions I am lucky enough to work with.
She gives you a lot of information, is very supportive and will get back to you. She has a sixth sense about things; she really cares about the people she works with and really loves actors. For me, this was a privilege.
Jordan is incredible because he brings all the richness of his relationship with Christopher Nolan’s films, and you can talk to him about any art film or world cinema, Tchaikovsky, whatever it is — and he has an encyclopedic knowledge. And that to me is so exciting aesthetically, in terms of the craftsmanship of this series. I think he brought something truly unique and incredible out of the history of his work. It was a privilege to work with these two showrunners. They are truly extraordinary and I say this from the bottom of my heart.
You guys are amazing on this show. What did you bring to your roles that went beyond the page?
Mark Strong: That’s a tough question. I suppose if you’re chosen as the Emperor of the universe, the guy in charge of everything, you’re going to have to bring your A-game. Do you know what I mean? If you are the chief predator, you need to be confident enough to occupy that space. Hopefully I’ve brought enough status and quality to the guy that you can believe in him, but also a little bit of insecurity, paranoia, and a little note of something else. I hope that’s what I brought to this.
Jodhi May: I would say what I love about this series is that you can often feel as an actor that you’re just part of a huge, overwhelming sci-fi concept – and this series doesn’t do that. It’s absolutely interested in the emotional history of these characters. What I love is feeling like, as an actor, I was able to bring that kind of emotional richness and truth. It’s absolutely there, and it feels like a really unique experience to be able to have a series of this scale.
More about Dune: Prophecy Season 1
From the vast universe of Dune, created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the rise of Paul Atreides, DUNE: PROPHECY follows two Harkonnen sisters as they battle forces that threaten the future of humanity and establish the legendary sect that will become known as Bene Gesserit. DUNE: PROPHECY is inspired by the novel SISTERHOOD OF DUNE, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.
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Source: Screen Rant Plus