One of the defining elements of Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies have been its stacked cast of big name actors. Timothée Chalament, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, Charlotte Rampling and Stellan Skarsgård and many others have made up the cast of Dune and Dune: Part Two. But another A-list star in the case was kept well under wraps until just recently: Anya Taylor-Joy.
Taylor-Joy, who is best known for her work in The Queen's Gambit, The Menu, Emma, The Witch and starring in the upcoming Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, was only officially revealed to have a role in Dune: Part Two following the movie's premiere, having not appeared in any trailers or other promotional material. But they still kept exactly who she plays in the movie a mystery (though obviously the internet offered plenty of speculation).
Now that the movie is out, we finally know for certain who Anya Taylor-Joy plays in Dune: Part Two. We detail that below, getting into some SPOILERS if you haven't yet watched Dune: Part Two, so read on with caution.
Who is Anya Taylor-Joy in Dune: Part Two?
The reason Anya Taylor-Joy's part in the movie was able to be hidden was that it is fleeting. The only time we see her in the movie is in a vision of the future that Paul (Chalamet) has, and it's just for a moment.
In that vision, we see Taylor-Joy, in the desert robes most associated with the Fremen, walking along a beach before speaking directly to Paul. While her name is not spoken, Taylor-Joy is playing an adult version of Paul's sister Alia.
Alia is one of the more interesting characters in Dune: Part Two, considering that she is not actually born yet. We found out in Dune that Paul's mother, Lady Jessica (Ferguson), was pregnant, but as a Bene Gesserit she already knows it is a girl and names her Alia. Things get weird though when Lady Jessica is given the Water of Life by the Fremen to become their new Reverend Mother. The powerful poison gives not only Lady Jessica new abilities and connections to the past, but to the unborn Alia as well. This allows Alia to communicate with her mother through telepathy, offering her own two cents for Paul as he goes through challenges throughout the movie.
We don't hear Alia's conversations with her mother though (Lady Jessica just relays her comments), so the only time we see or hear Taylor-Joy is in Paul's vision.
Will Anya Taylor-Joy be in Dune: Part Three?
After only having a cameo in Dune: Part Two, will Taylor-Joy appear in Dune: Part Three or any other possible future Dune movies?
To be clear, Dune: Part Three has not been officially green-lit as of publication, but how things leave off with Part Two, its critical reception and the expected box office lead many to believe that it's just a matter of time.
The big question then is how the Dune: Part Three timeline will work out. In the ending of Dune: Part Two, Alia still is not born and the spectre of war the movie ends with has to be answered. Would Alia be old enough in Dune: Part Three for Taylor-Joy to play her or would that be reserved for other possible sequels should Villeneuve and company want to continue telling this story?
Dune: Part Two does condense the timeline that Frank Herbert's original novel uses. Instead of Paul fighting with the Fremen for a few years before taking on the emperor, in the movie it only seems to be months. A similar strategy could be employed with future adaptations. Most assume Dune Messiah is the next book being adapted, which does feature Alia as a central character; but in a condensed timeline, how old would she be?
Again, long story short, we don't know. First, we have to get official word that Dune: Part Three is coming (smart money says yes, but it is still TBD). From there we'll find out what elements of Herbert's vast sci-fi story Villeneuve will look to tackle in the next chapter. Those decisions are the key to knowing whether or not Taylor-Joy or someone else will play Alia moving forward.
Dune: Part Two is playing exclusively in movie theaters.
