Timothée Chalamet and Dune director Denis Villeneuve are each other's biggest fan
Villeneuve reveals when he knew Timothée Chalamet was the right choice for his adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi epic

In Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel Dune, an invaluable spice from the planet Arrakis fuels intergalactic travel and has the ability to open one’s mind to deeper consciousness.
On Earth, Timothée Chalamet’s earnest press blitz in support of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune has a comparably powerful effect. The actor is so clearly thrilled to be part of the ambitious blockbuster that just bearing witness to his gushing enthusiasm for the filmmaker can rub off on you like a contact high. It’s intoxicating.
The A.V. Club experienced the exhilarating rush first-hand when we jumped on a Zoom with Chalamet and Villeneuve just hours before Dune’s premiere at the 78th annual Venice International Film Festival. Below, the actor and director speak about their first days on set together, and Villeneuve shares the exact moment where things clicked into place for him—when it was clear that Chalamet was the perfect choice to play his protagonist, Paul Atreides.
Denis Villeneueve: I will tell you the truth: There’s a scene that we shot right at the beginning of the shoot, called the Gom Jabbar scene, where we go through a strange, unconscious, transformative process. And that transformation—when we did the scene—I saw this transformation in Timothée. When I saw that power rising into what he brought to the character, I saw with my own eyes Paul Atreides becoming something else. And, when that happened, Timothée didn’t see me, but I was dancing behind the camera. I was like, “Oh, my god, he was so great. He is so powerful. I’m so deeply happy. Thank you, gods of cinema. I didn’t fuck it up; I cast the right Paul Atreides!”
The A.V. Club: So, Timothée, you didn’t see him dancing at that moment? What are your memories from filming that scene?
Timothée Chalamet: No, I didn’t [see him dancing]. But that is high praise, and that’s coming from one of the—if not the best director in the world. So I’m pinching myself right now, even as you said that. So, a big thank you for saying that.