[Dune] – Dune Part 1 characters explained, actors and actresses – House Atreides

House Atreides Origins

House Atreides was named after the Greek god Atreus, the king of Mycenae in Greek Peloponnese. House Atreidies claimed their ancestry was Agammemnon who was the son of Atreus.

Agammemnon was most famous for assembly of the Greek cities as the commander of the Greek Fleet and Army in the Trojan War.

 

 

The planet of House Atreides was Caladan that was a planet rich in resources and prosperous for human survival. The symbol of House Atreides was a red hawk.

House Atreidies was one of the major houses among the Landsraad nobles and had a 10,000-year-old feud with the Harkonnen House.

 

 

Leto Atreides Ⅰ - Oscar Isaac( Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada)

 Leto Atreides Ⅰ was the 20th Duke of House Atreides. Leto Atreides’s father and Paul Atreides’s grandfather was called the Old Duke.

The Old Duke would recruit Thufir Hawat and Duncan Idaho. However, the Old Duke was killed in a bull fight accident where the bull was killed and displayed on the Hall of House Atreides.

 

 

Leto Atreides was nicknamed Leto the Just after his gentle leadership that he tried to always manage in a civil manner. Leto Atreides was aware of the political risk when the Emperor Shaddam Corrino Ⅳ ordered House Atreides to viceroy the planet Arrakis.

 

 

Leto Atreidies was played by Oscar Isaac. ( Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada) One of the most popular roles that Oscar Isaac played would be Marc Spector, Steven Grant as Moon Knight in the Marvel television series Moon Knight series, Poe Dameron of the Star Wars saga and Apocalypse En Sabah Nur in the X-Men Apocalypse series.

 

 

Jessica Atreides – Rebecca Ferguson

Jessica Atreides or Lady Jessica was raised from birth by the Bene Gesserit.  Jessica Atreides has received one of the finest training and education from the Bene Gesserit.

The mission given by the Bene Gesserit to Jessica Atreides was to make a daughter with Leto Atreides Ⅰ whom shall marry Feyd Rautha Harkonnen for the Kwisatz Haderach project.

 

 

Despite marriage with Leto Atreides Ⅰ being political at first, both were genuinely in love and Jessica Atreides gives birth to a son, Paul Atreides.

In Dune Part 1, Paul Atreides foresees Lady Jessica’s pregnancy of Alia Atreides. Paul and Jessica managed to escape the Harkonnen attack and join the Fremens in Dune Part 1.

 

 

Rebecca Ferguson (Rebecca Louisa Ferguson Sundström). A Swedish actress played the role Lady Jessica in Dune Part 1.

The most popular roles that Rebecca Ferguson played would be scientist Miranda North in the film Life, Jenny Lind in the film The Greatest Showman, and MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in the Mission Impossible series.

 

 

Paul Atreides - Timothée Hal Chalamet 

Because Jessica Atreides disobeyed direct orders from the Bene Gesserit giving birth to a boy, Paul Atredies had to face both expectations and suspicions as his destiny to become Kwisatz Haderach.

Paul Atreides didn’t even have any choice in his destiny and he was confused of his identity and even wanted to disavow his destiny as Kwisatz Haderach. Lady Jessica taught and trained Paul Atreides the special abilities of the Bene Gesserit such as the “voice”.

 

 

Early in the film, Paul Atreides is tested by the gom jabbar by the Reverend Mother of the Bene Gesserit who seeked to see if Paul was worthy. The Gom Jabbar meant ‘high handed enemy’ and if stabbed it would instantly kill the victim.

The Gom jabbar was a test that ‘only kills animals’ and only those who had a strong cognitive awareness could endure the pain and agony. For the Bene Gesserit, one who couldn’t overcome this test wasn’t even considered human.

 

 

As heir to House Atreides, Paul Atreides also had to learn politics and management of House Atreides. Paul Atreides had no choice nor freedom on any circumstances that he had to face.

Upon his arrival on Arrakis, he was called Lisan Al’Gaib, which meant the “Voice from Outer Space” and prophesized to be the “Madhi” which was the savior of the Fremen.

While Paul Atreides first inhaled mélange spice, his potential as Kwistaz Haderach slightly awakens his prescience abilities and takes a glimpse of the future.

 

 

He witnesses which is a spoiler the tyranny, chaos and tragedy caused a simple individual who could just barely see ahead a bit further than others which “included” himself. By the Harkonnen attack on House Atreides, Paul Atreides has to face his fate. Does he even have a choice? Or is this a destined path shall be figured out.

 

 

Timothée Hal Chalamet is a French American actor that has acted since his youth. He started from many television series and Timothée Hal Chalamet’s role as Tom, son of the astronaut Cooper was one of Timothee’s remarks on film.

 

 

Later Timothée becomes more famous on his role as Elio in Call me by your name. Later on, Timothée Chalamet gains more fame in Little Women playing Laurie and stars as Willy Wonka on Wonka.

For many years, people tried to premiere the Dune series in cinema but failed but Timothée Chalamet gets the honor to play Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune series.

 

 

Thufir Hawat – Stephen McKinley Henderson

Thufir Hawat is a mentat which is a human with super cognitive abilities and could process information comparably with a computer. Thufir Hawat was inspired by the nobility of Leto Atreides and decides to work for House Atreides.

In the novel, Thufir Hawat is also called the Master of Assassins and he was a warrior, advisor and a strategist loyal to House Atredies.

 

 

In the novel Thufir Hawat is forced to serve the Harkonnen as Vladimir Harkonnen injected poison into Thufir Hawat that required intravenous injection regularly only provided by House Harkonnen.

Stephen McKinley Henderson plays the role Thufir Hawat. Stephen McKinley Henderson mostly worked on theater stages.

 

 

Duncan Idaho – Jason Momoa

Duncan Idaho was born on Giedi Prime which was the capital planet of House Harkonnen.

Duncan’s sister was murdered by the Harkonnen and Duncan was rescued by the Old Duke who was Paul’s grandfather and Leto Atreides’s father. Duncan Idaho extensively trains swords arts and becomes famous as the swordmaster throughout the whole galaxy.

 

 

As military trainer of Paul Atreides, and mentor of Paul Atreides, both had a great bond. Duncan would later become the ambassador and the scouting party of House Atreides on Arrakis.

With the sacrifice of Duncan Idaho, Lady Jesscia and Paul Atreides could escape the Sardauakr in pursuit of them by an ornithopter.

 

 

 

Jason Momoa becomes known as he took role as Conan in the Conan the Barbarian that was a remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic Conan series.

Although very short, in the Game of Thrones series, Jason Momoa gives a huge impression to the public as Khal Drogo. One of Jason Momoa’s most iconic character would be the Aquaman in the DC Cinematic Universe.

 

 

Gurney Halleck – Josh Brolin

Gurney Halleck was the warmaster of Leto Atredies. Gurney Halleck was once a slave of House Harkonnen, however Leto Atreides rescued him from the slavery by House Harkonnen.

Gurney Halleck witnessed and experienced the brutality of House Harkonnen. However, the murder of Bheth Halleck, his sister by Glossu Rabban enraged Gurney Halleck even more.

 

 

Due to such incidents Gurney Halleck is especially sensitive of matters with House Harkonnen and constantly warns the dangers of House Harkonnen to Paul Atreides as House Atreides and House Harkonnen share a 10,000-year-old feud.

After the attack on House Atreides, Gurney Halleck becomes a spice smuggler.

 

 

Josh Brolin has worked with Dune’s director Denis Villeneuve in the Sicario series.

Josh Brolin has premiered in numerous films but his most famous roles include Llewlyn Moss who was the main protagonist in No Country for Old Men, Matt Graver in the Sicario series, Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Cable in Deadpool episode 2.

 

 

Dr. Wellington Yueh – Chang Chen

Dr. Wellington Yueh was a Suk Doctor. A Suk Doctor was a doctor that practiced in highly skilled mental conditioning.

Since Dune Universe utilized super cognitive abilities of men, keeping mental conditioning was important. Dr. Wellington Yueh was the Suk Doctor for House Atreides.

 

 

The diamond symbol on Dr. Yueh was a symol of Suk medicine. Dr. Yueh was blackmailed by the House Harkonnen and Dr. Yueh disables the Holtzman shields of House Atreides defence on Arrakis.

His true intentions were unclear but he does give Leto Atreides the opportunity to take out Vladimir Harkonnen by implanting a tooth with toxic gas.

Chang Chen is a Taiwanese actor that played as Sun Quan in the Chi-bi series. He also played the role Xiao Si’r in A Brighter Summer Day.