Dune 2 Cast & Character Guide

Summary

• Dune: Part Two features a mix of returning actors and exciting newcomers, including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and Anya Taylor-Joy.
• The ensemble cast portrays characters like Paul Atreides, Chani, Princess Irulan, and more, with actors known for their diverse and acclaimed roles.
• Dune: Part Two introduces new characters from Frank Herbert’s 1965 book.

The Dune: Part Two cast contains numerous gifted actors, including returning performers from the first movie, such as Rebecca Ferguson, and newcomers to the franchise, like Austin Butler. Although Frank Herbert’s Dune books were long considered unfilmable, Denis Villeneuve has brought the 1965 novel to life in two parts. The first installment was widely acclaimed by critics for its immersive visuals, courtesy of cinematographer Greig Fraser, mesmerizing music score, courtesy of composer Hans Zimmer, and its incredible acting, courtesy of a star-studded ensemble cast — many of those actors return for Dune: Part Two.

Dune: Part Two brings back familiar faces from the first movie, including Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, as well as exciting new additions to the line-up, such as Florence Pugh and Christopher Walken. Some actors from Dune: Part One had to skip the sequel because their characters died, but other acclaimed performers like Léa Seydoux have joined the ensemble to take their place. From the long-awaited introduction of the Emperor to Baron Harkonnen’s cocky young nephew and planned successor, here’s a guide to the characters of Dune: Part Two, who plays them, and what else these cast members are known for.

Timothée Chalamet As Paul Atreides

Actor: Timothée Chalamet was born on December 27, 1995, in New York City. Growing up in New York, Chalamet had aspirations of being an actor, leading him to apply to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where his dreams grew. The actor landed his first feature film role in 2014 when he portrayed Danny in Men, Women & Children, but Chalamet’s breakout came when he was offered the lead role in Call Me by Your Name.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Chalamet was previously nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his turn as lovesick teenager Elio Perlman in Call Me by Your Name. He played Kyle Scheible in Lady Bird, Theodore “Laurie” Laurence in Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women, the titular character in Wonka, and Zeffirelli B. in Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch.

Character: Chalamet leads the cast of Dune: Part Two, reprising his role as Paul Atreides. Paul, the exiled Duke of House Atreides, joined the Fremen and met Chani at the end of Dune, and the sequel picks up where the first film left off. The Fremen have dubbed Paul “Muad’Dib” in the second movie.

Zendaya As Chani

Actress: Zendaya was born on September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California, where she remained throughout her childhood. However, she started her career young when she began modeling and dancing while attending school and performing in numerous plays in local theaters. Ultimately, Zendaya’s breakthrough role came when she was 14 and cast to play Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Zendaya is best known for playing troubled drug-addicted teenager Rue Bennett in HBO’s hit teen drama series Euphoria, for which she has won two Emmys, and Peter Parker’s love interest M.J. in the MCU’s Spider-Man movies. She portrayed the titular character in K.C. Undercover, trapeze artist Anne Wheeler in The Greatest Showman, and Marie Jones in Malcolm & Marie.

Character: Zendaya returns as Chani in Dune: Part Two. Chani is a young Fremen woman who becomes Paul’s love interest in the sequel. While Chani sadly only had a small role in the first movie, she’s a bigger part of the Dune: Part Two cast.

Florence Pugh As Princess Irulan

Actress: Florence Pugh was born on January 3, 1996, in Oxford, England. Like many other stars, she dreamed of becoming an actress from a young age, but her schooling did little to help her achieve these goals. Nevertheless, Pugh persevered and made her acting debut in The Falling in 2014. But her breakout role came a couple of years later when she starred as Katherine Lester in Lady Macbeth, for which she won a British Independent Film Award.

Princess Irulan, a new character in the sequel, is the daughter of the Emperor.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Pugh is known for playing Paige in the biopic Fighting with My Family, Dani Ardor in Midsommar, Yelena Belova, a Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, for which she earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Before appearing in Dune: Part Two together, Pugh and Timothée Chalamet first shared the screen as love interests in Little Women.

Character: Joining the Dune: Part Two cast is Florence Pugh in the role of Princess Irulan. Princess Irulan, a new character in the sequel, is the daughter of the Emperor.

Austin Butler As Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen

Actor: Austin Butler was born on August 17, 1991, in Anaheim, California. Butler was discovered by a representative from a background acting management company when he was 13 years old, which is how he got his start in Hollywood. The actor was an extra in various Nickelodeon shows before he landed speaking roles in Hannah Montana and iCarly. However, Butler’s first significant role came when he was cast as James in Zoey 101.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Following his Nickelodeon career, Butler rose to prominence playing Sebastian Kydd in The Carrie Diaries, Wil Ohmsford in The Shannara Chronicles, and Tex Watson in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. Butler’s ultimate breakthrough came when he starred as the titular character in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis in 2022, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Since then, Butler has appeared in The Bikeriders, Masters of the Air, and Dune: Part Two.

Character:Austin Butler plays Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two. Feyd-Rautha is Baron Harkonnen’s young nephew and planned successor as ruler of Arrakis. Like Pugh, Butler is a newcomer to the cast of Denis Villeneuve’s epic science fiction saga. Sting previously played Feyd-Rautha in David Lynch’s 1984 version of Dune.

Christopher Walken As Emperor Shaddam IV

Actor: Christopher Walken was born on March 31, 1943, in Queens, New York City. His mother quickly thrust Walken and his brothers into show business as children, and Walken got his start as a child actor on television. Once he grew up, Walken landed multiple movie parts, but he rose to prominence with his portrayal of Vietnam War veteran Nick Chevotarevich in The Deer Hunter in 1978.

Shaddam is the one who sent House Atreides to Arrakis after planning the attack on them alongside House Harkonnen.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: He has appeared in various films, but Walken won an Academy Award for his performance in The Deer Hunter and was nominated again for Catch Me If You Can, making those two of his most memorable roles. Walken is also known for his memorable guest-hosting stints on Saturday Night Live and has made a career out of jumping between intense dramas, like King of New York and True Romance, and silly comedies, like Wedding Crashers and Click. Walken has recently made the move to television with The Outlaws and Severance.

Character: Perhaps the biggest name joining the Dune: Part Two cast is Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV. Walken’s character is the Emperor of the universe and Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan’s father. Though he does not appear in the first movie, Shaddam is the one who sent House Atreides to Arrakis after planning the attack on them alongside House Harkonnen.

Javier Bardem As Stilgar

Actor: Javier Bardem was born on March 1, 1969, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, Spain. His mother was an actress, so he inherited her talented genes and dreams as he spent much of his childhood on film sets. Bardem got his start acting in Spanish movies like Jamón jamón, Boca a boca, and Carne trémula, before he received international recognition for starring as Reinaldo Arenas in Before Night Falls in 2000.

Stilgar is the leader of the Fremen tribe at Sietch Tab in the
Dune
universe.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Bardem won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his chilling portrayal of hitman Anton Chigurh in the Coen brothers’ neo-Western thriller No Country for Old Men. He is also known for playing villain Raoul Silva in the James Bond movie Skyfall, cancer patient Uxbal in the psychological drama Biutiful, God stand-in Him in the allegorical horror film mother!, and I Love Lucy star Desi Arnaz in the biopic Being the Ricardos.

Character: Javier Bardem reprises his role as Stilgar in Denis Villeneuve’s 2024 epic science fiction film Dune: Part Two. As fans recall, Stilgar is the leader of the Fremen tribe at Sietch Tab in the Dune universe.

Rebecca Ferguson As Lady Jessica

Actress: Rebecca Ferguson was born on October 19, 1983, in Stockholm, Sweden. When she was young, Ferguson modeled for advertisements on television and in magazines before pursuing an acting career. After getting her start on the Swedish soap opera Nya tider, Ferguson gained international fame with her turn as Elizabeth Woodville in the miniseries The White Queen.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Following her breakthrough via The White Queen, Ferguson played film roles such as MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in the Mission: Impossible franchise, Jenny Lind in the musical P.T. Barnum biopic The Greatest Showman, real estate agent Anna Watson in The Girl on the Train, and cult leader Rose the Hat in The Shining’s legacy sequel Doctor Sleep. Ferguson also returned to television when she began starring as Juliette Nichols in the Apple TV+ science fiction drama Silo.

Character: Rebecca Ferguson plays Lady Jessica in Dune Part: Two, reprising her role from the cast of Dune: Part One. Lady Jessica is Paul’s Bene Gesserit mother and concubine to Paul’s late father and predecessor, Leto Atreides.

Josh Brolin As Gurney Halleck

Actor: Josh Brolin was born on February 12, 1968, in Santa Monica, California. His father is famous actor James Brolin, so his career in show business was inevitable. Brolin ultimately got his big break as a teenager with the role of Brandon “Brand” Walsh in The Goonies cast.

Brolin’s
Dune
character is the former military leader of House Atreides in the sequel.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: After The Goonies, Brolin gained further acclaim and recognition with his turn as Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men. Brolin also portrayed CIA agent Matt Graver in Sicario, young Agent K in Men in Black 3, and Harvey Milk’s assassin, Dan White, in the biopic Milk, for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. However, Brolin might be best known for his comic book movie roles as Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Cable in Deadpool 2.

Character: Josh Brolin reprises his role as Gurney Halleck in the Dune: Part Two cast. Gurney is Paul’s mentor and weapons master of House Atreides. Brolin’s Dune character is also the former military leader of House Atreides in the sequel.

Stellan Skarsgård As Baron Vladimir Harkonnen

Actor: Stellan Skarsgård was born on June 13, 1951, in Gothenburg, Sweden, but he and his family often moved to different cities in the country throughout his childhood. Skarsgård began acting at a young age and quickly rose to prominence as a Swedish actor. However, Skarsgård’s international recognition came when he starred as Captain Tupolev in The Hunt for Red October.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Skarsgård is primarily known for playing Dr. Erik Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Bill Anderson, one of Sophie’s potential fathers, in Mamma Mia!, Professor Gerald Lambeau in Good Will Hunting, and Martin Vanger, the CEO of Vanger Industries, in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He also appeared as Boris Shcherbina in the HBO limited series Chernobyl, for which he received an Emmy nomination, and as loyal Star Wars Rebel Luthen Rael in the Disney+ series Andor.

Character: Stellan Skarsgård reprises his role as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two. Vladimir is the sworn enemy of Paul’s late father and the ex-steward of Arrakis. He is also the head of House Harkonnen and Feyd-Rautha’s and Glossu Rabban’s uncle.

Dave Bautista As Glossu Rabban

Actor: Dave Bautista was born on January 18, 1969, in Washington, D.C. His upbringing was exceptionally tough as he lived in poverty and became estranged from his parents at a young age. However, Bautista later turned to wrestling, which turned his life around. Bautista was a professional wrestler for almost 20 years before he officially retired in 2019.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Following his career as a wrestler in the WWE, Bautista jumped over to acting on the big screen. He is best known for playing Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bautista also played the Bond movie henchman Mr. Hinx in Spectre, mercenary Scott Ward in Army of the Dead, apocalyptic prophet Leonard Brocht in Knock at the Cabin, and men’s rights activist Duke Cody in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Additionally, Bautista previously collaborated with Dune director Denis Villeneuve when he played Sapper Morton in the opening scene of Blade Runner 2049.

Character: Dave Bautista returns as Glossu Rabban for Dune: Part Two. Glossu is Baron Harkonnen’s nephew and a ruthless enforcer. Bautista’s character is also the older brother of Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha.

Anya Taylor-Joy As Alia Atreides

Actress: Anya Taylor-Joy was born on April 16, 1996, in Miami, Florida, but was raised in Buenos Aires and London. She left school as a teenager to pursue an acting career, and when Taylor-Joy was 17, Storm Management founder Sarah Doukas scouted her as a model, but acting was still her primary focus. After receiving small television roles, Taylor-Joy’s breakthrough came when she was cast as Casey Cooke in Split.

Anya Taylor-Joy was among the last stars to join the sequel’s cast.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Among Taylor-Joy’s most memorable film roles aside from Split (and its sequel, Glass) are as Thomasin in The Witch, the titular character in Emma, Magik in The New Mutants, Margot in The Menu, and the voice of Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. She is also set to star as Imperator Furiosa in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. As for her television career, Taylor-Joy played Gina Gray in Peaky Blinders and Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit, for which she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film.

Character: Anya Taylor-Joy was among the last stars to join the sequel’s cast, and she portrays Alia Atreides, Dune: Part Two‘s most difficult character to cast. Alia was the sister of Paul Ateides and the daughter of Lady Jessica. She was born after Lady Jessica became the Reverend Mother, and the process gave Alia incredible powers that made her seem much older than she was. In Dune: Part One, Paul had a vision of Alia as a baby, seemingly confirming she would be in the sequel.

Dune 2 Supporting Cast & Characters

Charlotte Rampling as Gaius Helen Mohiam – Charlotte Rampling returns in the Dune: Part Two cast as Gaius Helen Mohiam, a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother and the Emperor’s Truthsayer. A cultural icon of the Swinging Sixties, Rampling is now best known for her later roles as Dr. Evelyn Vogel in Dexter and Ellen Kaye in Assassin’s Creed. She received a Best Actress nod at the Academy Awards for her turn as Kate Mercer in 45 Years.

Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot – Léa Seydoux plays Lady Margot, a Bene Gesserit and close confidant of the Emperor, in the Dune: Part Two cast. Seydoux is known for playing Emma in Blue is the Warmest Color, Dr. Madeleine Swann in Spectre and No Time to Die, and Simone in The French Dispatch.

Souheila Yacoub as Shishakli – Fremen warrior Shishakli is played by Souheila Yacoub. Yacoub previously portrayed Jasmine in the French miniseries Les Sauvages and Lou in Gaspar Noé’s psychological thriller Climax.

Roger Yuan as Lanville – Roger Yaun stars as Lanville, a House Atreides warrior, who Feyd fights on his birthday in Dune: Part Two. Yuan is known for his work as a stunt coordinator and performer, having worked on films such as Blade, Batman Begins, Skyfall, and X-Men: First Class.

Babs Olusanmokun as Jamis – Jamis, portrayed by Babs Olusanmokun, returns in the sequel and appears in a vision. Olusanmokun previously starred in Black Mirror and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Alison Halstead as Maker Keeper – Alison Halstead plays Maker Keeper, a woman who works with baby sandworms and gets the Water of Life from them in Dune: Part Two. Viewers might recognize Halstead from her role in Citadel and her work on video games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty.