Dune Prophecy: the secrets of Emperor Mark Strong

The highly anticipated series derived from Denis Villeneuve's films will begin in a few days on Max. So what to expect? Meeting with the ruler of the Imperium, Javicco Corrino.

FIRST: Who is Emperor Javicco Corrino of Dune: Prophecy for Emperor Shaddam, played by Christopher Walken in Denis Villeneuve's films?
Mark Strong : That's a very good question…and I'm not entirely sure of the answer, to be perfectly honest with you. I was told that Javicco Corrino was the very first Padishah Emperor, but at the same time, his father was also Emperor… So I must admit that I don't really understand how it works. Let's say that the emperor played in the cinema by Christopher Walken is the heir to the Houses which have succeeded one another for thousands of years at the head of power. Because you have to keep in mind that our series takes place 10,000 years before… so Javicco is possibly not Shaddam's direct ancestor. Forgive me for not having a more precise answer (laughs).

Did you easily immerse yourself in the extremely rich mythology of Frank Herbert?
I saw both films. But I only read Frank Herbert's first book. It's incredibly dense. You have to be very invested to read the 30 books devoted to this universe! So I'm not going to tell you that I've read everything… In any case, it's better to concentrate on the choices of the scripts, which leave things out or invent them. Sometimes it's better that way. This avoids being too influenced by the original material, which is not quite what we are asked to play. We were sent a few notes, a few pages, on the general history of Dune from time to time, to better understand the context.

In the series, the Emperor forms a very special relationship with soldier Desmond Hart (played by Travis Fimmel). What can you say about it?
I play an emperor who is not very confident. We feel his insecurity all the time. He's not entirely sure he'll be able to keep the other Houses at bay. He has no certainty in his power. And out comes this confident soldier, Desmond Hart, who should have been dead, but is still standing. He will realize that this man could well serve him as a bodyguard, as a gladiator, as an armed force to scare his enemies. He is fascinated by the strength of this man who seems to devote total allegiance to him. From this relationship will be born a captivating, but particularly harmful relationship…

How does the Bene Gesserit order fit into the series?
We discover this sorority living on Wallach IX, a planet entirely inhabited by women. The Bene Gesserit are nuns, of sorts, who have power and who train other young women to acquire this gift. They are “truthsayers”, capable of detecting lies. And each of the Houses of the galaxy is invested by a Bene Gesserit as personal advisor to the ruler. We understand that these women in reality form a network of spies on their own account, scattered throughout this universe. The Bene Gesserit pull the strings behind the curtain. Emperor Javicco Corrino has his own “truth teller”, Kasha. But he doesn't understand that she's not really at his service…

The scenery is breathtaking. What was it like on set?
The talent of the technical teams in Budapest, where we filmed most of Dune: Prophecyis truly extraordinary. They created gigantic sets in three different studios. Settings so realistic that we no longer even needed to play. We were directly immersed in the universe. I don't even remember seeing any green or blue screens. Everything was manufactured, everything was really there: the furniture, the accessories, everything! It was very impressive. And for an actor, it's all the better: you don't need to imagine everything while you're playing.

Dune: Prophecy, season 1 in 6 episodes to watch on Max from November 18, 2024.