Dune Stars Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet Reflect On Their Friendship; Shares Hilariosu First Encounter

Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, who appeared in the 2019 sci-fi film Dune, initially sparked romance rumors but have since proven to be besties, showing that they are not romantically involved.

Published on Feb 03, 2024  |  10:48 PM IST |  167.2K
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Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet (Getty)

Ever since Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet were chosen for the sci-fi film Dune back in 2019, fans couldn't help but wonder if they would become close pals. Despite some initial speculation about a potential romance between them, the duo has shown that their bond is purely that of best friends.

While appearing alongside Dune co-stars Florence Pugh and Austin Butler on Thursday, February 1 on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, both opened up about their hilarious first encounter on a plane.

ALSO READ: Will Zendaya Reprise Her Role If There Is A Third Dune Movie? Actress Reveals

Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet in Dune (IMDb)

Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet opened up about their hilarious first encounter

On Thursday, February 1, while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with their Dune co-stars Florence Pugh and Austin Butler, both Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet talked about how their first encounter with each other on a plane was hilarious. “We were on the same flight and I fell in the airport,” Zendaya explained as Pugh laughed and asked if Chalmet helped her get up.

“No,” Chalamet replied while shaking his head. “I think I just saw Zendaya fall. I didn’t know her! I didn’t know what to do.” Zendaya then joked that she had since forgiven Chalamet, and added, “There was a certain amount of therapy but now we’re here.”

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Chalamet and Zendaya have kept a close bond. He even gushed to host Kimmel that she helped him revamp his New York apartment. “The vibe was very teenage boy and we just needed a few necessities, you know, cups and plates and things to clean [with],” Zendaya said, adding she helped him get all the big boy stuff. Chalamet also stated that he had a bed, but no bed frame.

The pair proved their BFF status when Chalamet gifted Zendaya a pair of custom sneakers in December 2023. In December 2023, the actor designed Nike Dunk Lows to promote his new movie Wonka, giving out five lucky fans golden tickets to tour his chocolate factory, akin to Willy Wonka's character. “There are five pairs [for fans to get],” Chalamet explained while appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in December 2023. “Then I begged them for a pair and Zendaya gets a pair because she’s awesome.”

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Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in Dune (IMDb)

Dune: Part Two will explore the different worlds of Dune

Dune: Part Two officially opens in theaters on March 1. Originally slated for a November 3, 2023 release, the sequel was pushed back to March 15, 2024, during the strikes, before being moved forward two weeks to its current date. Filming commenced on the sequel on July 18, 2022, and took place on location in Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, and Italy. The filming wrapped in December 2022.

Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem are all set to reprise their roles from their first film, with some new and Oscar-nominated talents like Florence Pugh and Austin Butler joining the cast. 

When the sequel was confirmed, we got our first plot synopsis too which read, "This follow-up film will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee."

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The first movie covered just over half of Herbert's book, ending as Paul and Lady Jessica were accepted into the Fremen and on their way to Stilgar's home. With House Atreides pretty much decimated, it's going to be them against the Empire in the sequel, where we're sure to see more of Paul's visions of his future coming to life as he leads a revolt against the Empire.

Filmamaker, Denis Villeneuve revealed that he had toyed with ending the movie later with the book's time jump, but realized that his first intuition to break after Paul meets the Fremen was the right place to end it. Thanks to Paul's prophetic ability, the first movie contained exciting teasers for what's to come in the character's future as he contends with his ultimate destiny, one that could be connected to Chani and the Fremen of Arrakis. Villeneuve teased the sequel would go a little bit deeper into some of these details, including the aforementioned Feyd-Rautha. "It's like a chess game," he said. "Some new characters will be introduced in the second part."

Dave Bautista has been getting everyone excited for the sequel as well. In an interview with Collider in January 2023, he mentioned how the movie is even more intense than the first one. "There's just so much going on, it's so much more cutthroat and political and intense."

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Costume designer Jacqueline West has also revealed that the sequel will explore the different worlds of Dune. "All the worlds get expanded. It was about creating three separate, different-looking worlds and also revisiting the Bene Gesserits, the age-old ones with these costumes that almost look like Egyptian mummies," she explained. "I think it's visually stunning, the sets, the cinematography and the concepts."

ALSO READ: Is Dune 2 aiming for an extended run in theaters? Here's what we know

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