Tabu on entering the world of ‘Dune: Prophecy’ as Sister Francesca
A grand entrance
With Dennis Villeneuve’s ambitious take on Frank Herbert’s iconic literary work, the Dune IP has recently enjoyed a resurgence in public interest, propelling Hollywood starlets such as Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya further into bonafide movie stars. The world fell in love with Dune’s expansive world, intriguing lore, and fascinating array of characters—which is why Max’s original series Dune: Prophecy, premiered on 19 November 2024, couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.
Continuing the theme of messianic figures, scheming politics, and the concept of destiny versus free will, Dune: Prophecy explores all the things that make the Dune universe compelling. Inspired by Brian Herbert and Kevin. J Anderson’s Sisterhood of Dune, the six-episode series takes us back 10,000 years before the events of Dune and the rise of Paul Atreides as we follow two Harkonnen sisters establish the shadowy and powerful Bene Gesserit order.
View this post on Instagram
One Bene Gesserit everyone has their eyes on is Sister Francesca, played by Bollywood star Tabu. With Dune: Prophecy, the actress returns to Hollywood more than 12 years after her last project (Life of Pi). With her enigmatic charms, she masterfully captures the attention of the Emperor and us as viewers. While her character only appears in the final two episodes, Sister Francesca plays a pivotal role in shaking up the balance of power in the capital.
Ahead, we speak to Tabu about what it feels like to be a part of the Dune franchise, becoming Sister Francesca, and stepping back into the Hollywood scene.
How does it feel to enter such a massive universe like Dune’s?
It feels amazing, especially because the fan following of Dune spans such a wide range! Everyone in the world knows what Dune is. To be part of that vast universe on screen, as a fan and a cinema enthusiast, is incredible. You feel connected to that world and identified with it.
It’s like how children feel when they step into a place they love, like a big park. For me, it feels like that—becoming the character, wearing the veil and the costume. You literally transform. These characters are so iconic, and it’s brilliant to embody them.
Were you a big fan of the Dune franchise before you got the part?
Honestly, I wasn’t a big fan of sci-fi at first, but after watching the films, I was blown away by how it’s this fantastic blend of science fiction, earth, the universe, planets, nature, desert, water, and spice. It touches on so many themes—politics, religion, humanity—and that’s what makes it so special to me. When you explore its layers, it resonates with everyone in their own way. Now, I’m a big fan.
READ: 10 Best science fiction films that define the genre
How did you feel when you learned you got the part?
So, I was just finishing my projects, and I got an email that Alison Schapker (showrunner and executive producer) and Anna Foerster (director) would like to approach me for Dune: Prophecy and they sent me one or two scenes of episode six, I think. And when I read those scenes, I knew that Sister Francesca was going to be very, very relevant and important to the story.
And then Anna and Alison walked me through the story. Just that one conversation with them, and I was in. They’ve come with a lot of love and were very sure about wanting me. I thought we could do something really amazing with this.
What aspects of Sister Francesca drew you to the role and how did you prepare for it?
My character Sister Francesca is very mysterious and interesting. She has all these layers. She is very important to the Bene Gesserit because she has tremendous control over the Emperor. She’s there for a brief while, but she really makes a huge impact. Alison, Anna, and I used to talk about how she is as a person because you don’t see her in the show except when she’s younger. So, I just needed that input to be able to portray the character.
The show features a great ensemble cast. What was it like on set working together? Were there any particular interesting moments on set?
I have to say that I was lucky to work with these stalwarts of cinema. They brought so much to the table and were still being so humble and sincere with their work. They’re just good human beings, you know? That energy is something that you can’t substitute. They have so much maturity.
We had this little gang—Emily Watson, Mark Strong, Jodhi May, and me—and we’d go out for dinners together. Afterwards, we’d walk back to the hotel, even though it was always cold. They were always the ones to initiate dinner plans, and they’d call me to join. I’d run to meet them, and we’d have the best times. I really miss those moments. They’re all amazing.
One time, Emily took me to this quaint railway station in Budapest. She really wanted me to see it—it was underground and looked like something from the 17th century. Experiencing that with her was so special.
Every moment with Mark is memorable because he has the craziest sense of humour! [laughs] He’ll make jokes about even the most serious things, which makes everything feel so light and normal. And these people have lived such full lives, so you can talk to them about anything.
View this post on Instagram
I can’t think of even one unpleasant experience during the shooting. I have also kept in touch with so many people after the filming and we talk about visiting each other soon. Everything about this experience has been very special for me.
Could you describe Sister Francesca in three words, what would they be and why?
Mysterious, strong, and quiet.
Mysterious because we don’t see Francesca much in the show before her grand entrance. So, there will always be a mystery as to where she was.
Quiet, because she’s not a dominating person. She has a quiet strength about her.
Strong because she knows clearly what she feels. And she will carry out her heart’s calling, no matter what.
We have to talk about the costumes! They tell a story of their own. How was the process of becoming Sister Francesca through the costumes?
Oh, yes! I want to take a moment and say that the costumes in the show were some of the best parts of the filming. I love the costumes because when I first saw the films I thought, “Oh my gosh, this is what I’m going to be wearing!”
The dress and the veil—the most magnificent thing that you can do for an actor is to give them a look like that. I’m so lucky that this entire look is just iconic because it only belongs to the Bene Gesserit; this is how they are identified.
So I know that no other film will have this type of costume. And I am so grateful to be a part of this. We had a most talented costume designer, Bojana, for Dune: Prophecy. She was so passionate about what she did, down to the tiniest details. For example, the gomjabar needle was the buckle of the belt.
Everything fit perfectly, it was as if it was stitched on my body. And the veils! Alison and Anna were very particular about which veil I wore for each scene. If you look closely at each veil and how I do my hair in my entrance, or the party scene, or when I confront Valya, they’re all different and tell a story on their own. So, that was a really incredible experience to see it all come together.
Did you have to do anything differently in preparation for this role?
So I know it sounds superfluous, but for me, emoting in English is very different. When I’m playing a character in my language, and when I’m playing a character in English, the experiences are worlds apart. Because the nuances, the annotations, and the stresses in the English language as compared to Hindi are very different, I paid extra attention to that.
What personal traits did you draw on to connect with Sister Francesca?
That’s an interesting question. I think inner strength. Because especially with Francesca, you don’t see her so extensively in the show so there’s a lot about her character that you need to fill in the blanks about where she was and what she’s done.
Also, the power she has is imprinting, which is a very silent power. It’s a gift you can’t see, as compared to shape-shifting, for example. With Sister Francesca, it’s all about what lies inside her, you know, her power to seduce, her power to affect people. So, I drew on my inner strength to work on Francesca.
Dune: Prophecy has an emphasis on sisterhood and female agency. Ultimately, what are the lessons from Dune: Prophecy that viewers can take away?
We’re already seeing it happen in the real world, with women gaining more control and agency than they once had. However, when power becomes established, there’s always the potential for corruption. When one person holds all the power, there’s a risk it might be abused because, after all, humans are human.
We can’t become superhuman or god-like and expect to be free of the flaws and traits we all have; it’s inevitable. The moment you gain power, you might feel entitled to control or even abuse it. That said, it would be great to see a group of women controlling everything—as long as they don’t undermine each other. That’s the key because if they do, the purpose is lost.
If they can maintain control over themselves, though, that’s a major takeaway from Dune: Prophecy—not just for women, but for all humans. It teaches the importance of training yourself to the point where you can control everything around you. If you don’t have control over yourself, if you haven’t harnessed your own energy, it’s impossible to control anything else.
When you come into alignment with yourself, when you’ve mastered your own inner strength, everything around you starts to fall into place. It’s a powerful lesson: take charge of yourself and build your inner strength. The shape-shifting and The Voice are symbolic of this strength if we could apply that to our own lives—whether it’s shapeshifting into different roles or using our voice to make a difference. Even Francesca’s gift of imprinting, imagine using this power to leave a positive mark on someone’s mind and change their whole perspective. You can change the world for the better.
Dune: Prophecy has been renewed for season two. Catch up on all six episodes of season one are available to watch on Max here or via Astro and Unifi TV.
For more film and TV show recommendations, head here.
| SHARE THE STORY | |
| Explore More |
