Summary

• Dune: Part Two introduces key characters from the novel that were missing in the first movie, bringing in new big names to continue the story.
• The 2021 Dune cast highlights complex sci-fi characters like Paul Atreides portrayed by Timothée Chalamet and Lady Jessica by Rebecca Ferguson.
• The villainous Baron Harkonnen, played by Stellan Skarsgård, and the skilled fighter Duncan Idaho, portrayed by Jason Momoa, add intensity to the Dune cast.

The 2021 Dune cast brought in rising stars, Oscar-winners, and acclaimed character actors to tell Denis Villeneuve's ambitious sci-fi adaptation. Dune is based on the bestselling 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, following Paul Atreides and his family as they relocate from their home world to the desert planet, Arrakis, the only source in the universe of the mysterious but vital spice, melange. Amongst this nest of secrecy and subterfuge, Paul becomes involved in a political plot with universal consequences. In the midst of a grand betrayal, he is forced into the desert to live with the secretive Fremen.

Dune: Part Two's cast brings in even more big names to continue the story with some key characters from the novel who were missing from the first movie finally being introduced. However, with the sequel now released and more people flocking to the theaters to see it, the 2021 Dune cast provides an excellent reminder of the key characters at play in this complex sci-fi story. Even with the popularity of the Dune movies, many of these actors are even more recognizable from their previous work.

Watch on Max

Paul Atreides

Played By Timothée Chalamet

At the center of the Dune cast is Paul Atreides, the only child of Duke Leto Atreides and Lady Jessica. He's the heir to the Atreides household and all that it controls, including the planet Arrakis. Surrounded by intrigue and danger, Paul's dreams throughout Dune show him the violent and destructive path that lies ahead in the future.

Timothée Chalamet has starred in a number of other feature films including Lady Bird, The King, Little Women, and Call Me By Your Name, among others. In addition, Chalamet also recently played Willy Wonka in the musical prequel film, Wonka. He reprises his role as Paul in Dune: Part Two, continuing his complex journey.

Rebecca Ferguson

Played By Lady Jessica

Lady Jessica is Paul's mother in the Dune cast and the long-term partner of Duke Leto Atreides. Although her official title is "concubine," she commands a great deal of respect in House Atreides both because of the love the duke holds for her and her powers as a trained member of the mysterious and powerful Bene Gesserit faction in Dune.

Rebecca Ferguson has also led a highly successful career, appearing in numerous projects such as the Mission Impossible franchise as Ilsa Faust, Doctor Sleep, and The Greatest Showman. She also stars in the Apple TV series Silo and is rumored to return as Ilsa in Mission: Impossible 8. Though Jessica's role in the later half of the novel is limited, Ferguson's role was expanded for Dune: Part Two.

Duke Leto Atreides

Played By Oscar Isaac

Duke Leto is head of House Atreides and father to Paul. Honor-bound to answer the call of the Padishah Emperor, the Duke uproots his family from their ancestral home to move to Arrakis even though he knows there is a trap waiting to be sprung by the Harkonnens, the sworn enemies of House Atreides.

Oscar Isaac's prolific career has included most recently starring in the Disney+ series Moon Knight as well as such notable films as the Star Wars sequel trilogy as Poe Dameron, Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex Machina, X-Men: Apocalypse, and many others. Unfortunately, Leto died in Dune and only appears in the form of a portrait of the late Duke in Dune: Part Two.

Chani

Played By Zendaya

Zendaya appeared in the Dune cast as Chani, a young Fremen woman whom Paul sees in his dreams before traveling to Arrakis. Chani is the daughter of Liet Kynes, the Imperial planetologist on Dune, and later becomes romantically involved with Paul. Like all Fremen, Chani's eyes are blue within blue as a result of the ever-present spice on Arrakis.

Zendaya notably stars in the HBO series Euphoria as well as having appeared in The Greatest Showman and the MCU's Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. She will also appear in the upcoming tennis drama Challengers. Though Chani's role was brief in Dune, she plays a much bigger role in Dune: Part Two.

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen

Played By Stellan Skarsgård

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is the head of his house and a sworn enemy of the House Atreides in Dune Arrakis is under his control before the Emperor turns it over to Leto, but Baron Harkonnen doesn't roll over so easily. Adding to his fearful image, the Baron floats as he is unable to walk due to his massive weight has to be held up by mechanical suspensors.

Stellan Skarsgård is another huge name in the cast, having appeared in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, both Mama Mia! films, the recurring Dr. Erik Selvig in the MCU, and Luthen Rael in the Disney+ series Andor. The Baron continues to be an antagonistic presence in Dune 2.

Duncan Idaho

Played By Jason Momoa

Duncan Idaho is a higher-ranking soldier in the service of House Atreides in Dune. One of the most skilled and determined fighters in the universe, he's a staunch defender of his Duke's family and a friend to Paul. He is also one of the first from House Atraides to make contact with the Fremen and help to form a connection between the two people. He sacrificed himself to protect Paul, Dr. Kynes, and Jessica.

Jason Momoa is best known for his roles as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones and the titular hero in Aquaman in the DCU movies, as well as starring in Sweet Girl and See. He recently appeared as the villainous Dante in Fast X and will return for its sequel.

Gurney Halleck

Played By Josh Brolin

Gurney Halleck is a chief officer of the Atreides army and Paul's private weapons tutor. He has a scar on his jaw from his time as a slave of the Harkonnens, and he is notable for being as skilled a bard as he is a soldier, often serenading his Duke's family with his preferred instrument, the baliset.

Josh Brolin has had a major career in Hollywood, spanning decades, beginning with his early role in The Goonies. He has worked on critically acclaimed movies like No Country for Old Men, Milk, Only the Brave, and Denis Villeneuve's Sicario. He has also joined the comic book movie world most infamously as the Mad Titan Thanos in the MCU and as Cable in Deadpool 2. After Gurnbey goes missing during the Harkonnen attack in Dune, the character returns to serve Paul in Dune: Part Two.

Dune Supporting Cast And Characters

Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat: Thufir is a mentat or strategic advisor to Duke Leto in the 2021 Dune movie cast. Henderson has been in Fences, Tower Heist, Lady Bird, and Causeway. While McKinley filmed scenes for Dune: Part Two, they were sadly cut from the final movie.

Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Liet Kynes: Kynes is the Imperial planetologist on Arrakis, who is also discreetly a member of the Fremen. Pursuing the noble goal of building a sustainable ecosystem on Arrakis, she dies after helping Paul and Jessica escape. Duncan-Brewster is known for her roles in Sex Education, Intergalactic, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Enola Holmes 2.

Javier Bardem as Stilgar: Stilgar is the leader of the Fremen tribe who takes Paul in from the desert. Though his brief role in Dune shows him to be reluctant to help Paul and his mother at first, Stilgar's bigger role in Dune: Part Two is as Paul's most devoted follower and mentor. Bardem is most known for his roles in Skyfall, No Country For Old Men, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and plays King Triton in the live-action The Little Mermaid movie. Stilgar will play a larger role in Dune 2.

David Dastmalchian as Piter De Vries: The mentat to Baron Harkonen in the 2021 Dune movie cast, Piter de Vries is integral in the villain's schemes. He is killed by Leto's poisonous attack after being captured by the Harkonnen. Dastmalchian has been in The Suicide Squad, the Ant-Man movies, Bird Box, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and portrayed Albert DeSalvo (the Boston strangler) in Boston Strangler.

Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban: Rabban is a Harkonnen soldier and the Baron's nephew in the 2021 Dune cast. Bautista is known for playing Drax in the MCU and the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and Knock at the Cabin. Rabban returns as overseer of Arrakis in Dune: Part Two.

Chang Chen as Dr. Wellington Yueh: Yueh is the physician who cares for House Atreides who becomes a traitor in the hopes of saving his wife who was taken and tortured by Baron Harkonnen. After succeeding in his treachery, Yueh is killed by the Baron. Chen has been in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Red Cliff, and The Soul, and also had a brief stint on The Accidental Narco.

Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam: The Reverend Mother is the head of the powerful Bene Gesserit in the 2021 Dune movie cast, the order to which Lady Jessica also belongs, making her a highly influential character in the Dune world. Rampling is known for Red Sparrow and Hannah, most recently appearing in DNA, and reprises her role in Dune 2.

New Dune Cast Members Join In The Sequel

Who Was The Secret Dune 2 Cast Member?

The 2021 Dune movie cast was full of stars, but even more notable names joined the sequel. Denis Villeneuve made the decision to break the first Dune novel in half which means there were some big characters from the source material who did not appear in the first movie. Several of these characters were finally introduced in Dune: Part Two with some great actors taking the roles.

The standout new character in Dune: Part Two is the villainous Harkonnen warrior Feyd Rautha Harkonnen, played by Oscar nominee Austin Butler, best known for Elvis. Another key addition to the story is Emperor Shaddam IV, played by legendary Oscar winner Christopher Walken. Florence Pugh will portray Princess Irulan Corrino. Léa Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color) and Souheila Yacoub (Climax) have also been cast as Lady Margot and Shishakli, respectively. While these roles were announced long before the movie's release, Anya Taylor-Joy's Dune 2 cameo as Paul's sister Alita was kept a secret until the premiere.