focuses on the Harkonnen family, the Corrino family’s fight to remain in power, and the rise of the Bene Gesserit. Prophecy features Chernobyl’s Emily Watson and The Crown’s Olivia Williams as Valya and Tula Harkonnen, alongside stars like Knightfall’s Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Riverdale’s Chris Mason, and Heartbreak High’s Josh Heuston.

Boussnina and Heuston play siblings Princess Ynez and Constantine of the Corrino family, while Mason plays Keiran, part of House Atreides. However, as the series is set 10,000 years before the events of Villeneueve’s movies, the two factions aren’t enemies just yet, with Keiran serving as Swordmaster to the Great House. After Ynez and Keiran strike up an unexpected romance, these lines of political versus personal duty become even more blurred, while Corrino - who’s an illegitimate child of Emperor Corrino - struggles to live up to his father’s expectations.

Screen Rant interviewed Dune: Prophecy actors Boussnina, Mason, and Heuston about navigating complicated relationships within the Imperium and trying to remain independent in a world where everyone is a pawn.

Ynez & Constantine Don’t Trust Anyone But Each Other In Dune: Prophecy

Navigating The Complicated Relationship Dynamics Of The Imperium

Screen Rant: Sarah-Sofie, how does Ynez envision leading the Imperium to a better future, and what motivates her aspirations beyond the pursuit of power and spice?

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: I think she feels that in learning the abilities that she can learn on Wallach IX, attending the Sisterhood is something that will make her a stronger and more powerful future leader. She'd be able to truthsay herself and all of that, which could help her. I feel like that's how she envisioned it.

Chris, can you talk about how Keiran's complex relationship with Princess Ynez Corrino influences his decisions as he navigates the court's corruption and his family's legacy?

Chris Mason: Yeah, talk about bad timing in of relationships. I think it would've been easier if it played out the way I think they both thought it would've played out, but there's definitely a star-crossed Romeo and Juliet lover thing going on there. It shouldn't happen, but it did, and it definitely brings in conflict all the way up until she arrives and saves the day at one point and stops him.

It's not the best timing for them, but there's something that he sees in her that is true in her heart that he believes is in his too.

Josh, how does Constantine navigate his complicated relationship with his father, who has convinced him of his own weaknesses, and how does this dynamic influence his decisions?

Josh Heuston: I think Constantine's relationship with his father motivates a lot of his decisions. He's continuously trying to seek his approval and, from the way their relationship is built at the moment, he can never seem to get that. I think he definitely struggles with that, and I feel like that gives a lot of insight into how he explores and tries to blow off steam.

He goes to the spice then, or he indulges in it, but I think the insecurities that his father gives him explain why he hasn't necessarily picked a specific side. He's continuously trying to figure that out, and I guess it leads to his downfall here and there.

Sarah-Sofie, given her challenging position as heir to the throne and her plans to study with the Sisterhood, how does Ynez navigate her independence in a world where everyone seems to be a pawn in the power game?

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: I think she tries to use her power in a way that feels authentic to her, and I think it's very complicated because everyone's trying to get power or keep power — some lose power. That's so much of the show. She's trying to find a way to use her power in the position that she was born into, but in the right way that feels truthful to her, which might change in the show.

Is there anyone else Ynez and Constantine trust amidst the complex dynamics of family and politics? In general, how do each of your characters approach loyalty and secret-keeping in this dangerous world?

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: For them, because of how they were brought up and the life that they live, they know that they can't trust a lot of people, and they live a very secluded life. Strangers want something out of them because of their position, and that's something that they've been aware of their whole life, which makes them not trust a lot of people as well.

They went through something traumatic when they were children that made their bond even closer. And I think that the room they create with each other is kind of the only room where they can let go of the royal facade and just talk about how they're really feeling.

Josh Heuston: You get to see the real them behind closed doors once it's the two of them. But for Constantine, he doesn't trust anyone other than Ynez. Even in the house, Empress Natalya would still use him for certain games on the chess board, or to get intel from someone else.

From his perspective, the only person he can trust is not even his father, just Princess Ynez.

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: Yeah, I think it's the same for Ynez. Obviously, she also has a close bond to Sister Kasha, but I think to have someone that goes through the exact same thing for them is everything. They're so used to these ways of political alliances forming all the time and doing something because then it's good for these people. That's just how everything is surrounding them.

Josh Heuston: I think Constantine's relationship with everyone other than Ynez is quite transactional. "This is for this," or "This is for that," or, "This is to go party," or, "This is to get something from someone else." I think Ynez is his only true, genuine relationship.

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: I think what you'll see is also how Ynez realizes that even with her parents, a lot of their choices are based on what's good for them politically and not necessarily what's the nicest thing to do. She kind of realizes that.

Chris Mason Knows The Atreides Have “A Long Way To Go” In Dune: Prophecy

How The Characters Are Striving To Be On The Right Side Of History

Chris, many might not expect to find an Atreides character in Keiran's circumstances. What aspects of playing this role in Dune: Prophecy surprised you the most, and how far off is Keiran from Timothée Chalamet in the movies, in of political power and legacy?

Chris Mason: The Atreides have got a long way to go. I think that's where we start off in Dune: Prophecy. It's nowhere near the House that we see with Paul Atreides, but it's an interesting story to tell.

Where Keiran is right now, obviously, he's working his way up. We see him go through his conflicted things, but he's also trying to do what he believes is right for the right people. He almost wants to be on the right side of history, I think, is how he sees it. And he's using the weight of his name to get him into certain places, but he's still got a long way to go before he becomes the leader that they become.

Josh, in his quest to demonstrate his value to his family, what internal conflicts does Constantine face, and does he struggle with choosing between familial duty and personal desires?

Josh Heuston: I think Constantine's coping mechanism for dealing with the pressure of being in the royal House was turning to vices that he has access to, whether it be drugs, sex or alcohol — or even his instrument. He will find anything to distract himself. That's his biggest obstacle, maintaining direction and focus in trying to achieve power or trying to be a good brother or someone that can garner respect and iration.

But his biggest issue is that when times get tough or he faces some sort of struggle, he goes after the easiest or quickest gratification or dopamine hit or anything like that. His biggest barrier is just himself, really. The desires that he has, and how he's learned to deal with being in such a high-pressure environment.

Sarah-Sofie, what are Ynez's thoughts on distancing herself from her family, especially with the presence of Desmond Hart, and how does that impact her relationships and decisions throughout the series?

Sarah-Sofie Boussnina: She doesn't like losing her family, but this soldier arrives and all of a sudden these things are happening, and her dad is changing. Ynez loves her dad, and feels like he is a good man, but he's trying to position himself, and in that he becomes enamored with this Desmond Hart. In Ynez's eyes , he forgets his good values.

Once she's seen what they're doing, and everything that Desmond is playing a part in... Once she's seen that, she's like, "I need to speak up for what's right," which is very much her. She fights for what she believes in, and something that I really think is so strong throughout the season is that she's fighting for her dad to wake up. She's like, "Why can't you see that this man is ruining everything? It's not the right way to go about things. He needs to get out.”

Being more and more put to the side by her family is also very hard for her because she's not used to that. When Constantine doesn't show up for her, she's all by herself for the first time, but she's like, "This is the last chance I have [to wake] my father up in front of everybody," She thinks she can, but then obviously things go another way.

I think that all of these things — getting pushed away from her family, from Constantine, and being all by herself while feeling so strongly about what she believes — is also what's pushing her to open up to Keiran. Because, for her, she's not used to opening up to anyone. I think that's very surprising for her. It starts off as a hot trainer and a bit of fun, but then all of a sudden, there's a connection there. There's a connection, and they have the same morals and ideas. She realizes, "Okay, I am not crazy. Someone else is seeing what I'm seeing as well.”

Chris Mason: That's one thing they have in common.

More About Dune: Prophecy Season 1

From the expansive universe of Dune, created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, DUNE: PROPHECY follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit. DUNE: PROPHECY is inspired by the novel SISTERHOOD OF DUNE, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

Check out our other Dune: Prophecy interviews here:

• Emily Watson & Olivia Williams
• Alison Schapker
• Travis Fimmel & Jordan Goldberg
• Mark Strong & Jodhi May

Dune: Prophecy premieres November 17 at 9pm EST on HBO.

Source: Screen Rant Plus