Zendaya has played a host of characters over the course of her career, and many of them are quite complex. I’d argue that amongst the actress’ most layered roles is that of Chani from the Dune franchise. The Fremen warrior has quite an arc throughout the Denis Villeneuve-helmed blockbusters, and that’ll all come to a head in the upcoming Part Three. Ahead of that film’s release later this year on the 2026 movie schedule, Zendaya is reflecting on the character, and I love her take on what makes Chani so “beautiful.”
The fan-favorite actress shares some loving thoughts as part of the interview for her spread in Vogue Brasil. During the interview, Zendaya was specifically asked about what piqued her interest the most when it came to Chani’s journey throughout the movies. When sharing her response, the starlet spoke about several of Chani’s key attributes, and she certainly made some good points:
What's beautiful about the character is that, unlike many others, she doesn't have superhuman abilities. She doesn't foresee the future or control people. In the end, she's human and often acts as a moral compass in that world. She has no ulterior motives; she just wants to protect her planet and her people. There's something very beautiful about that: in a world full of power, she doesn't want to be seduced by it. She prefers to dedicate her life to the greater good. That's admirable.
The Drama star definitely isn’t wrong when it comes to her assessment of Chani. While the character is intense and has her own goals, she’s very direct and doesn’t seek to manipulate people (unlike her lover, Paul Atreides). Also, Chani does indeed differ from Paul and others within the House of Atreides in that she doesn’t possess superhuman traits of any kind. The fact that she still fights so rigorously and puts her life on the line numerous times without such powers is a true testament to her physical and mental strengths.
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It goes without saying that the complexities of Chani’s personality should be attributed to the skilled writing of Dune novelist Frank Herbert. And, of course, Denis Villeneuve also deserves credit, as he’s co-written the scripts for his trilogy in addition to directing. Still, Zendaya deserves praise for her pitch-perfect portrayal of the Arrakis-born heroine. Not only does the leading lady bring a strength to the role, but she also imbues Chani with a generous amount of vulnerability. The genuine affection the character has for people, including Paul, is a big reason why it stings when she learns that Atreides will take on Princess Irulan as his wife.
As the Dune: Part Three trailer teases, the story will pick up 17 years after the ending of Part Two. By this time, Paul will be the Padishah Emperor and facing the prospect of a war on Arrakis. Paul and Chani’s relationship will also become a bit more complex, especially given they’ll be the parents of twins. I can imagine the aspect of motherhood will allow Zendaya to tap into a whole other side of her character as well. Additionally, early on, Villeneuve revealed Chani was crucial for developing this new film.
If anything, I’m just glad Zendaya is a part of this threequel, because it apparently took a great deal of scheduling for her to balance it with Spider-Man 4 and Euphoria film shoots. So bless The Maker that she was able to reprise her role, and I look forward to seeing how the A-lister puts a beautiful bow on Chani’s’ story with this trilogy capper.
Dune: Part Three is set to open in theaters on December 18. While fans wait for the threequel’s release, they can stream the first two installments using an HBO Max subscription.
