Rebecca Ferguson Explains Why She Took 'Dune' Role

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment news, Rebecca Ferguson talked briefly about her role in "Dune." She also spoke about other things, like her claustrophobic tendencies when filming in enclosed spaces, her reaction to judging the size of sandworms, and how "Dune" was different from any other movie she had acted in.

Ferguson expressed her aversion to closed spaces and always preferred knowing that she had a way out.

She specifically discussed a worrisome moment when her claustrophobic tendency kicked in as she filmed in the ornithopter set of "Dune."

"I can't be locked in. On every set I always have to make sure that if they lock me into something, there needs to be an out. In the ornithopter, there was a moment when I panicked and I literally took my foot and just kicked the door out. I needed to know I could get out."

She also disclosed her confusion at properly ascertaining the size of a CGI sandworm. Because she wasn't used to filming with green screens or with excessive visual effects. Ferguson described a hilarious moment when director Denis Villeneuve guided her on how high to look when running away from the giant creatures.

"We were running away from the sandworm in Abu Dhabi. I hadn't seen how big it was compared to us. I stop and turn around, and I look at this huge thing approaching. And Denis is like, 'What are you looking at?' I went to point to the sandworm, and he goes, 'Well, it's bigger than that! Look up!' I was like, 'There?' He was like, 'Higher!' I was like, 'There?' 'Higher!' Then I was like, 'Oh, now I get it!'

Ferguson was also afraid of being stereotyped as the typecast for a "strong woman." She recalled her work on her other major franchise, "Mission: Impossible with Tom Cruise," and contrasted the action sequences in them.

She mentioned that while the stunts in her former roles were more real and practical, the stunts in "Dune" were more reactionary and borne out of necessity.

"I love the fighting we do in Mission. It's hard, it's beautiful, it's amazing to do, but it's really choreographed. The fighting in Dune is for necessity. It's not an elongated fighting sequence; it's a quick disarm to prove your point or prove your power. So everything is at such different levels than what I'm used to," she concluded.

Ferguson played the role of Lady Jessica, who was one of the most complicated characters in "Dune." She was the product of centuries of genetic breeding by Bene Gesserit, an ancient school that taught women how to develop superhuman mental and physical abilities.

The Bene Gesserit instructed her to bear a daughter, however, she defied them and bore a son instead.

At the beginning of the movie, she was Duke Leto's concubine. Although the two were in love, Leto did not marry her for political reasons. Despite her concubine status, both Leto and Jessica treated the relationship like a marriage, and Jessica was used to her life as a wealthy Duke's partner.

Jessica's life changed once the Harkonnen killed Leto, as she was forced to live in the harsh desert among the Fremen and use all her abilities to survive, including seducing her captors.

She became a reverend mother and eventually accepted that her purpose in life was to work towards the collective goals of the Bene Gesserit.

Rebecca Louisa Ferguson Sundström is a Swedish actress. She began her foray into acting with the Swedish soap opera "Nya tider" and went on to star in "Drowning Ghost."

She came to international stardom with her depiction of Elizabeth Woodville in the British television miniseries "The White Queen." This movie landed her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film.

She also starred as MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in the action spy film "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation" and its sequel. She then played Jenny Lind in the musical "The Greatest Showman" and acted in the science fiction horror film "Life."

She featured in the mystery thriller "The Girl on the Train" and the science fiction film "Men in Black: International."

"Dune" is a 2021 science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Jon Spaihts, Villeneuve, and Eric Roth.

It is the first of a planned two-part adaptation of the 1965 titular novel by Frank Herbert. Set in the far future, it followed Paul Atreides as he and his family, the noble House Atreides, found themselves in a battle for the dangerous desert planet Arrakis.

The film stars an ensemble cast including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.

"Dune" premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was released in theaters and on HBO Max on October 22, 2021