Beetlejuice Beetlejuicestar Jenna Ortega reveals that she auditioned for Denis Villeneuve’sDune. While Ortega has been acting for roughly 12 years, she has recently become one of the most sought-after actors today. While only in her early 20s, shehad plenty of starring roles in projects likeScream,Miller’s Girl, andWednesday. Although her filmography is rich in the horror genre, the young actor almost had a sci-fi franchise in her resume.
While speaking withBuzzFeed Celebon the edition ofThe Puppy Interview, Ortega was asked if she had any surprising auditions. She revealed thatshe auditioned forDunewhen she was roughly 15 years old. The actor speculated thatthe role was for Chani, played by Zendaya, elaborating that the casting process was secretive. Read the full quote below:
I auditioned for Dune when I was about 15. I remember just being a big fan of that film and the franchise and everything like that and being really excited for that interview because Denis is one of my favorite filmmakers. I think it was Chani. I think it was Zendaya’s, but they weren’t saying that. Everything was very secret.
Why Jenna Ortega Was Unlikely To Win The Role Of Chani In Dune?
However, Ortega Could Have Been Considered For Another Role.
At first glance, it makes sense why Ortega was in consideration for the role of Chani. Had Villeneuve’s adaptation stuck with the details in the novel series, Chani was roughly in her teens when she first encountered a young Paul Atreides in Arrakis. With Ortega sharing that she was 15 at the time of the audition, she would have matched the age ofthe prominentDunecharacter. However, the characters in the movie were aged from their novel counterparts, withPaul and Chani being around their early 20s instead.
With Chani and Paul expected to be close in age, Ortega would have been too young to star opposite Chalamet since they have a seven-year age gap.
While it’s unclear how far along Ortega got into the audition and whether she had any chemistry tests with Timothée Chalamet, the changes likely made her less ideal to play Chani. In particular,Chalamet was one of the first stars cast in the adaptation, who, at the time,was already in his early 20s. With Chani and Paul expected to be close in age, Ortega would have been too young to star opposite Chalamet since they have a seven-year age gap. On the other hand, Zendaya is closer to Chalamet’s age, as she is only a year younger than him.
Dune: How Old Every Major Character Is
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While Zendaya won the role against five unnamed actors in consideration, it is only speculation that Ortega was up for the role of Chani. With theWednesdayactor admitting that the audition was secretive, it’s highly possible that she was also up for the role of Alia Atreides, Paul’s sister. That would seem more likely, especially if Villeneuve was still working on the kinks of adaptingDuneand the book’s timeline. While that role eventually went to Anya Taylor-Joy, hopefully, Villeneuve can provide more insight into Ortega’s audition, while focusing ondevelopingDune: Part Three.
Dune
Cast
Dunethe big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller of the same name. A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey,Dunetells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
