Dune: Prophecywill finally arrive this weekend, offering fans a deeper dive into the complicated politics of the Empire. HBO’s next seriesfocuses on the Harkonnen familythe Corrino family’s struggle to remain in power and the rise of the Bene Gesserit.ProphecycharacteristicsChernobylEmily Watson andThe CrownOlivia Williams as Valya and Tula Harkonnen, alongside stars such asKnight’s FallSarah-Sofie Boussnina,Riverdaleis Chris Mason, andLoud disgustIt’s Josh Heuston.
Boussnina and Heuston play siblings Princess Ynez and Constantine of the Corrino family, while Mason plays Keiran, part of House Atreides. However, as the series is set 10,000 years before the events of Villeneuve’s films, the two factions are not yet enemies, with Keiran serving as the Big House’s Master Swordsman. After Ynez and Keiran begin an unexpected romance, these lines between political duty versus personal duty become even more blurred, as Corrino – who is Emperor Corrino’s illegitimate son – struggles to live up to his father’s expectations.
Screen speech interviewed Dune: Prophecy actors Boussnina, Mason and Heuston on navigating complicated relationships within the Empire and trying to remain independent in a world where everyone is a pawn.
Ynez and Constantine trust no one but each other in Dune: Prophecy
Navigating the Empire’s complicated relationship dynamics
Screen Rant: Sarah-Sofie, how does Ynez envision leading the Imperium into a better future, and what drives her aspirations beyond the quest for power and spice?
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: I think she feels that by learning the skills she can learn at Wallach IX, attending the Brotherhood is something that will make her a stronger and more powerful future leader. She would be able to tell the truth about herself and everything, which could help her. I feel like that’s how she imagined it.
Chris, can you talk about how Keiran’s complex relationship with Princess Ynez Corrino influences his decisions as he navigates court corruption and his family’s legacy?
Chris Mason: Yeah, talk about the bad times in terms of relationships. I think it would have been easier if it had happened the way I think they both thought it would have happened, but there’s definitely a Romeo and Juliet lover thing going on there. It shouldn’t happen, but it did, and it definitely brings conflict until she arrives and saves the day at one point and stops him.
It’s not the best time for them, but there’s something he sees in her that is true in his heart and that he believes is in his as well.
Josh, how does Constantine navigate his complicated relationship with his father, who has convinced him of his own weaknesses, and how does that dynamic influence his decisions?
Josh Heuston: I think Constantine’s relationship with his father drives a lot of his decisions. He is continually trying to seek her approval, and the way their relationship is constructed at the moment, he never seems to get that. I think he definitely struggles with that, and I feel like it gives a lot of insight into how he explores and tries to get things off his chest.
He then goes for the seasoning, or indulges in it, but I think the insecurities his father gives him explain why he hasn’t necessarily chosen a specific side. He’s continually trying to figure it out, and I think that leads to his downfall here and there.
Sarah-Sofie, given her challenging position as heir to the throne and her plans to study with the Brotherhood, how does Ynez navigate her independence in a world where everyone seems to be a pawn in the power game?
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: I think she tries to use her power in a way that feels authentic to her, and I think it’s really complicated because everyone is trying to get or keep power – some lose power. That’s a big part of the show. She’s trying to find a way to use her power in the position she was born into, but in the right way that feels true to her, which could change in the series.
Is there anyone else that Ynez and Constantine trust amid the complex dynamics of family and politics? In general, how do each of your characters approach loyalty and keeping secrets in this dangerous world?
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: For them, because of the way they were raised and the life they live, they know they can’t trust many people and they live a very isolated life. Strangers want something from them because of their position, and this is something they have been aware of their entire lives, which makes them not trust many people either.
They went through something traumatic when they were children that made their bond even closer. And I think the environment they create with each other is the only one where they can drop the real facade and just talk about how they’re really feeling.
Josh Heuston: You get to see who they really are behind closed doors, since it’s both of them. But for Constantine, he doesn’t trust anyone other than Ynez. Even at home, Empress Natalya still used it for certain games on the chessboard or to obtain information from another person.
From his point of view, the only person he can trust isn’t even his father, just Princess Ynez.
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: Yes, I think it’s the same for Ynez. Obviously, she also has a close bond with her sister Kasha, but I think having someone who goes through the exact same thing for her is everything. They’re so used to these ways of forming political alliances all the time and doing something because it’s good for these people. This is how everything surrounds them.
Josh Heuston: I think Constantine’s relationship with everyone except Ynez is very transactional. “This is for this” or “This is for that” or “This is for going to the party” or “This is for getting something from someone else.” I think Ynez is his only true and genuine relationship.
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: I think you’ll also see how Ynez realizes that even with her parents, a lot of their choices are based on what’s good for them politically and not necessarily what’s the coolest thing to do. She kind of realizes that.
Chris Mason knows the Atreides have “a long way to go” in Dune: Prophecy
How the characters are trying hard to be on the right side of history
Chris, many may not expect to find an Atreides character in Keiran’s circumstances. What aspects of performing this role Dune: Prophecy What surprised you most, and how far is Keiran from Timothée Chalamet in cinema, in terms of political power and legacy?
Chris Mason: The Atreides still have a long way to go. I think that’s where we start in Dune: Prophecy. It’s not even close to the House we see with Paul Atreides, but it’s an interesting story to tell.
Where Keiran is now, obviously, he’s on the way up. We see him go through conflict, but he’s also trying to do what he believes is right for the right people. He almost wants to be on the right side of history, I think, that’s how he sees it. And he’s using the weight of his name to get him to certain places, but he still has a long way to go before he becomes the leader they’ve become.
Josh, in his quest to demonstrate his worth to his family, what internal conflicts does Constantine face, and does he struggle to choose between family duties and personal desires?
Josh Heuston: I think Constantine’s coping mechanism for dealing with the pressure of being in the Royal Household was to turn to the vices he has access to, be it drugs or sex or alcohol – or even his instrument. He will find anything to distract himself. That’s your biggest obstacle, maintaining direction and focus in trying to achieve power or trying to be a good brother or someone who can earn respect and admiration.
But his biggest problem is that when times get tough or he faces some kind of struggle, he goes for the easiest or quickest gratification, the dopamine hit or something. His biggest barrier is just himself, really. The desires he has and how he learned to deal with an environment of so much pressure.
Sarah-Sofie, what does Ynez think about distancing herself from her family, especially with the presence of Desmond Hart, and how does that affect her relationships and decisions throughout the series?
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: She doesn’t like losing her family, but a soldier comes and suddenly these things are happening, and her father is changing. Ynez loves her father and feels he is a good man, but he is trying to position himself and in this he falls in love with this Desmond Hart. In Ynez’s eyes, he forgets his good values.
After she sees what they’re doing and everything Desmond is participating in… After she sees that, she’s like, “I need to speak out about what’s right,” which is very much her. She fights for what she believes in, and something that I really find really strong throughout the season is that she’s fighting for her father to wake up. She’s like, “Why can’t you see that this man is screwing up? It’s not the right way to do things. He needs to leave.”
Being increasingly left aside by her family is also very difficult for her because she is not used to it. When Constantine doesn’t show up for her, she’s alone for the first time, but she’s like, “This is the last chance I have. [to wake] my father in front of everyone”, she thinks she can, but obviously things happen differently.
I think all of those things – being taken away from her family, from Constantine, and being alone while having such strong feelings about what she believes – is also what leads her to open up to Keiran. Because, for her, she’s not used to opening up to anyone. I think this is very surprising for her. It starts off as a warm coach and a little fun, but suddenly, there’s a connection there. There is a connection and they have the same morals and ideas. She realizes, “Okay, I’m not crazy. Someone else is also seeing what I’m seeing.”
Chris Mason: That’s one thing they have in common.
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