Posted in: HBO, Max, TV | Tagged: dune, dune: prophecy

Dune: Prophecy Star Tabu on "Huge" Production, Hollywood Future & More

Tabu (Life of Pi) spoke with us about Dune: Prophecy differing from her Bollywood work and whether she's considering more Hollywood projects.

Tabu has always been a believer in taking opportunities when presented with emerging as a superstar from Bollywood since her debut in 1982's Bazaar. With over 100 credits to her name, many Americans caught a first glimpse of her work in the multi-Oscar-winning Ang Lee masterpiece The Life of Pi in 2012. As much as Tabu is always looking to embrace a new challenge, the project must be enticing enough, and one such opportunity fell into her lap when producers contacted her to play Sister Francesca in the HBO TV series Dune: Prophecy, a prequel to the Denis Villeneuve films. Based on The Great Schools of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson and Frank Herbert's original Dune, Prophecy was developed by Diane Ademu-John and showrunner Alison Schapker that follows the origins of the Bene Gesserit, a powerful social, religious, and political force whose members possess superhuman powers and abilities after undergoing years of intense physical and mental conditioning. Tabu spoke to Bleeding Cool about how she compares productions based in America and India, if she's had any similar Bollywood experience as she had filmed the Schapker series in season one, and if she's interested in doing more international projects.

Would Tabu Do More International Projects if They're More Like Dune: Prophecy?

Bleeding Cool: Was there anything difficult about the production during filming? How would you compare it to your success in India? How do you compare the production side of things to just doing something like an American production?

[The scale for 'Dune: Prophecy'] was huge, as were the technical parts. With all the movies these days, even in India, you don't have the cameras, and the scale of this was so huge. Luckily, I was not on so much on the green and blue screen. Yeah, it's not much different from what I have experienced in India, there's so many people involved [on 'Dune.']

More people are aware of your other work in the streaming age and the critically acclaimed 'Life of Pi' (2012). Have you considered expanding out more internationally as far as seeing what's out there, maybe testing the market in the States?

My thing is, I've done like the cream of the project internationally as my namesake in 'Life of Pi,' and now, Dune.' I've got the best without even trying for it. The only issue is to give time that takes me away from home. That was also the best thing about 'Dune: Prophecy,' which did not ask me all of those many days to stay away from home for that long. If a project does not require me to move to the US for one year or eight months, maybe I would consider it, and that would be the deciding factor. Otherwise, it must be something so compelling I cannot say no to it.

Dune: Prophecy, which has been renewed for season two, also stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Srah-Sofie Boussnina, Chloe Lea, Chris Mason, Shalon Brune-Franklin, Mark Strong, Jade Anouka, Edward Davis, Josh Heuston, Faoileann Cunningham, Aoife Hinds, and Mark Addy. Season one is available to stream on Max.

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