Portrayed as fearless soldier Duncan in “Dune,” Jason Momoa says he was more “scared” of the film than any other before — but not in the way you might think.
“It wasn’t necessarily the role,” the 42-year-old told Unilad in an interview. “It’s more my fear, nerves of failure in front of my peers and idols.”
Momoa added that being in front of the camera isn’t what spooks him; really, it’s the actors he’s surrounded by on set that he “looks up to.”
Most well-known for the title role in “Aquaman,” Momoa’s recent performance in “Dune” shows him as a soldier for the Atreides family. Specifically, he inhabits the part of Paul Atreides’ best friend, who is played by Timothée Chalamet.
But the “Dune” hunk’s acting skills kept the nerves at bay on-screen, and fans only noticed his bulging muscles and signature smirk.
“Timothee Chardonnay doesn’t really do it for me BUT every time Jason Momoa patted his back in #Dune which… was often… a moan thundered through me,” one fan joked.
“Jason Momoa steals every scene as Duncan Idaho, what a star,” wrote Variety entertainment writer Angelique Jackson on Twitter.
“I’ve always thought Duncan Idaho would be a bit more feline but who can fault Jason Momoa,” tweeted another.
This film adaption of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel is the second movie inspired by the book, with the original hitting screens in 1984. It follows the science-fiction world in which the Atreides family is given the task of protecting the most valuable element in the galaxy on a dangerous, desert planet.
This time around, the film was directed by Denis Villeneuve, who Momoa said is his “favorite director in the world.” Alongside him on-screen are Chalamet as Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, to name a few.
Momoa, not a stranger to high-action roles after his time as a DC Comics superhero, compared the production of “Aquaman” to “Dune,” saying the former had “a lot more studio work” to create the DC Extended Universe.
For “Dune,” on the other hand, Momoa traveled to real-life locations such Abu Dhabi to film the first movie of the series.
“In ‘Dune,’ I’m truly in those places,” he told Unilad. “There’s so many different worlds on this planet, and I’m thankful to go to these spots.”