The Dune films are undeniably fantastic to experience. The incredible cinematography, unmatched production design, and unbelievable performances all work together to make Dune the sci-fi franchise of the decade. But just because these movies are so fun to watch, doesn’t mean they are always super fun to make. Zendaya recently opened up about how hard Dune: Part 2’s production was on her body, and explains one particular moment that truly tested her physically.
In a recent interview with W Magazine, the movie star opened up about some of the on set experience’s she’s had, and what each of Zendaya’s best movies required from her as an actress. When it came to Dune, it required quite a lot, as the long shooting days and extreme weather on set resulted in her body responding in concerning ways. She learned about the importance of hydration the hard way, especially when working in stifling heat. She recounted:
We were in Jordan. It was very hot, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, man, the bathrooms are so far away,’ because we had to hike to the locations. If you have to pee, you need at least 10 minutes to get out of the costumes. I was like, Damn, I don’t want to drink too much water. I had such a fear of peeing myself or shitting myself, honestly, in the suit on set. One day, I didn’t drink enough and I had a heatstroke. I felt so barfy. I remember calling my mom on the bathroom floor, saying, ‘I feel terrible.’ She was like, ‘Did you drink water today?’ I said no. I thought I was being smart, but you can’t do that. So, lesson learned.
I have to say I understand her thought process. Some of these costumes, especially those within a sci-fi or action adventure film, are incredibly complicated and restrictive. Time is money on set, and you never want to be the person that’s holding everybody up, even if you are number one on the call sheet. Not wanting to inconvenience the crew with long, frequent bathroom breaks when everyone is hot and exhausted is understandable. Also, no one wants to have an accident on set. However, not drinking water is never the answer. A hospital visit is way more inconvenient and scary than a bathroom break.
This was probably a lesson she should’ve learned on the first Dune film, but Zendaya wasn’t actually on set as much for the original installment. She has much more of a presence in the sequel film, which meant a lot more days with Timothée Chalamet in the desert. Also, production on Dune: Part 2 was no joke, with production taking place in Italy, Jordan, and Abu Dhabi for five months, much longer than a traditional movie production. The whole thing paid off, but hopefully Zendaya learned the importance of hydration early on in the shoot, and was feeling better for the rest of filming.
The whole thing wasn’t totally miserable. In the midst of difficult shooting conditions, behind-the-scenes videos show Zendaya having a great time with the rest of the Dune: Part 2 cast, and the Euphoria star even shared a gorgeous sunset photo of the desert on Instagram to let fans know she was hard at work. Hopefully now that this heatstroke incident is out of the way, she’s more prepared for when she has to return to the desert again for the much anticipated Dune: Messiah.
You can check out Zendaya’s performance in Dune: Part 2, which is currently streaming with a Max subscription, along with the first Dune. Fans of the actress can also see her in her latest film, Challengers, which is also streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription.