Austin Butler Improvised His Dune 2 Kiss With Stellan Skarsgård – News JoJo

In the eagerly anticipated Dune: Part Two, while the central narrative thread weaves through the evolving romance between Paul Atreides (played by Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya), an unexpected onscreen dynamic captures the audience’s fascination.

A surprising revelation from Austin Butler during an interview with Access Hollywood highlights an unscripted moment that has ignited discussions. Butler shared that a spontaneous kiss between his character, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård, was not originally in the script.

“[The kiss] with Stellan Skarsgård? Oh yeah!” Butler answered when he was asked about what elements he improvised in Dune: Part Two. “He’s game for anything,” Butler said of Skarsgård. “He’s the best…It’s always about how you’re trying to affect somebody else.”

This improvisation, Butler explains, was a creative attempt to underscore Feyd-Rautha’s deep-seated loyalty to the Baron.

While transitioning from his acclaimed portrayal of Elvis Presley, Butler undertook a different approach for his role in Dune: Part Two. Seeking a balance that would respect his personal life while fully embodying the antagonist Feyd-Rautha, Butler chose to emulate Skarsgård’s voice, distancing himself from the immersive method acting that characterized his preparation for Elvis.

This conscious delineation between his onscreen presence and personal life allowed Butler to explore his character’s depths without the same level of personal intrusion experienced during his previous role. Butler’s nuanced performance hints at the meticulous preparation and self-awareness he brought to the movie.

Director Denis Villeneuve expressed his admiration for Butler’s ability to inject a “playful darkness” into Feyd-Rautha, a testament to the actor’s versatile talent and charismatic screen presence. Villeneuve’s choice to physically transform Butler for the role adds another layer to the actor’s commanding performance, enhancing the dark allure of Feyd-Rautha.