Dune’s Rebecca Ferguson Explains Her Greatest Challenge in Playing Lady Jessica

Rebecca Ferguson, who plays Lady Jessica in Dune, reveals her most significant challenge in playing the character. The film directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) features an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, and Stellan Skarsgard, who plays the film’s primary antagonist, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. The film currently holds a certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 90% and opened to international markets on September 15th, with the U.S. release scheduled for October 22nd.

Dune‘s story revolves around Paul Atreides, son of Leto Atreides, as he is thrust into a war for the desert planet Arrakis against bitter enemies the Harkonnens after Leto accepts the stewardship of the planet. The plot also focuses on the planet’s natural resource called “spice,” known to enhance human capabilities and assist with space navigation. Rebecca Ferguson will be playing the role of Lady Jessica, who is Paul Atreides’ mother and concubine to Duke Leto Atreides.

Ferguson detailed the challenges she faced while playing Lady Jessica in a recent interview with Variety, saying that one of her main goals was to try “something new for myself.” She also mentions that playing the role of “a queen or a concubine” didn’t prove to be her main obstacle, but the “fine lines in between” proved to be a hurdle to overcome. You can read her full quote below:

“I wanted to deliver something new for myself, to challenge myself. I’m not saying I find it hard to play a queen or a concubine or a soldier. But it’s the fine lines in between because Jessica is very still. And it’s easy to want to over-act emotions and I think it was challenging and quite vulnerable to believe that what you were thinking was transported to the audience, at the same time, wanting to leave you wanting more.”

Ferguson also elaborated on how simple it can be to “over-act emotions” while playing a character who is “very still,” which illustrates her attention to detail and level of commitment which indicates the promise of a very layered performance. The Swedish-born actress is no stranger to big-budget features and book adaptations after her breakout role in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation and her villainous turn in Doctor Sleep. However, with Herbert’s novel’s rich history and massive scope, along with the ultra-high fan expectations, Dune is sure to be the biggest project of her career to date.

Ferguson’s reputation has skyrocketed since 2015, and deservedly so. She has come a long way from her days working on regional content in Sweden to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her reward ultimately was a role in what is arguably the most highly-anticipated film of the year. That is a testament to her persistence in making a name for herself and her dedication to her craft. Fans will have to wait just a bit longer to watch Ferguson in action as Lady Jessica when Dune releases in theaters and HBO Max next week.

Source: Variety