Dune Part 2: Zendaya explains why Chani and Paul’s romance is so epic

Dune Part 2: Zendaya explains why Chani and Paul’s romance is so epic. The actress talks about the relationship between her character and that of Timothée Chalamet in the long-awaited sequel by Denis Villeneuve.

By Staff

It has been almost three years since we were last in the sands of Arrakis. The wait to know the fate of the desert planet is about to end with the premiere of Dune Part 2.

One of the characters that will have the greatest weight in the sequel is Chani, the Fremen played by Zendaya, and the actress, during her time in CDMX, gave more details about why her relationship with Paul makes for such a complicated and engaging romance.

What did Zendaya say about Paul and Chani’s romance in Dune: Part 2?

At a press conference, Zendaya was asked about her favorite part of playing Chani in Dune Part 2.

She explained that the most complicated thing, and what she enjoyed the most, was the director’s complex treatment of the character and how this was reflected in her resistance to letting herself be carried away by the affection she develops for Paul (Timothée Chalamet).

These were her words:

“What I really liked, and what Denis brought with this version, was giving her strong convictions and a strong sense of self.

For me, that made her enjoyable as an actress because she made the love story much more difficult and we had to earn it.

Her love is not a given, it is something they have to work for. She comes to the relationship very protected, with her guard up, with a lot of pain for what Paul represents in her life.

For me, she was excited because there is a constant dialogue with herself about whether or not she should let this person into her life and if it is safe to love him.

The love story was interesting to find in someone who is so intensely fierce and strong.”

In the novel, Chani is merely a woman with whom Paul falls in love and who helps him understand and assimilate the customs of the Fremen in order to become their leader and regain control of the planet Arrakis.

Without giving too much away, Villeneuve found a way to challenge the notion of the young Atreides as a hero by making the character of Zendaya a skeptic of the messianic prophecies surrounding him.

However, the relationship between Paul and Chani is one of the elements that, in the book, keep him attached to his humanity as the spice and the religious response of the Fremen to his figure lead him to become increasingly corrupt.

It remains to be seen if Dune: Part 2 will also be faithful to these darker elements or if it will choose to sugarcoat the darker themes of the source material.

As for Zendaya, this role will test her as an action star.

After winning two Emmys for her dramatic role in Euphoria, Chani, and her involvement in the war against the Harkonnens, will give her a chance to prove herself in terms of fight sequences.

After all, Villeneuve himself has confirmed that the second part relies much more on that genre during the conflict between the natives and the noble house that wants to exploit their home.

Dune Part 2 will hit theaters starting February 29.

The film is really the first blockbuster of the year and one of the most anticipated films of 2024, so the anticipation is no less.

Although the premiere took place in CDMX, there were strong restrictions on talking about it, and it will not be until February 21 that the first reviews begin to be published.