Movies - TV
How Jason Momoa’s Amateur Footage Ended Up On Screen In Dune
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
In Denis Villeneuve's 2021 sci-fi epic Dune: Part One, Jason Momoa plays Duncan Idaho, a Gonaz Swordmaster from House Atreides who is kind to the young Paul (Timothée Chalamet).
The movie was filmed in the deserts of Jordan, making for unbearably hot shooting days. Momoa told Entertainment Weekly he would explore the deserts in his spare time.
He shared how Villeneuve gave everyone an 80-page "bible" detailing the mythos of the "Dune" universe, the shots he wanted, and how each character contributed to the goal.
While waiting to film his scenes, Momoa would wander in costume out into the sands to look around. He filmed his experience, impressed and bemused by the country's beauty.
The actor said it helped him get into character as Duncan Idaho. Villeneuve spotted him and decided to recreate some of Momoa's videos in the final cut of "Dune."
Villeneuve took Momoa and cinematographer Greig Fraser back to the exact locations where Momoa had filmed the home videos. The director then recreated the scenes in his own idiom.