We know that Dune Part Two is heading to the big screen very soon and is one of the most anticipated movies of 2024. The cast is also incredibly stacked, with stars like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Austin Butler starring in the sci-fi sequel. With such a fun assortment of actors, there were bound to be some fun stories regarding their time filming in the Middle Eastern desert. On that note, it was recently revealed that some of the stars were intimidated by Part Two cast member Christopher Walken. However, what intrigues me even more is that Florence Pugh was able to establish a bond with the actor through their shared love of donuts.
Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh all appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to chat with the talk show host about their new movie. While doing so, they discussed what it was like filming with such a big cast full of superstars. There were plenty of actors to be excited about working with, including Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem. However, Chalamet noted that once Christopher Walken stepped on the set, even Bardem and Brolin were intimidated by the Catch Me If You Can actor. Pugh agreed with the sentiment and added:
They became little boys, like tails between their legs. [They were like,] ‘Hi.’ [They were] babies. It was adorable.
While the 80-year-old Oscar winner may have been intimidating to even the most brawny movie stars, Florence Pugh was able to establish rapport with the acting legend, as most of their scenes in Dune: Part Two were together. The vibe of the scenes may have been intense, but they found commonality by sharing a favorite sweet treat. The Little Women star said amid the chat (which was shared on YouTube):
I spent most of my days with him and Charlotte Rampling and Léa Seydoux, but mostly him. And all of our stuff was so intense, so I kind of was just in a room with him for hours. … He’s surprisingly silly. In between takes, he would be talking to me about his favorite kind of doughnuts. [Laughs] And like, there’d be this huge kind of stand-off between everyone, and then he’d turn to me and be like, ‘What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?’ [I was] like ‘Jam-filled, obviously.’ And then we’d go and do another take [of] a really serious scene.
It may have been important for the stars to take the intense scenes seriously, but I like that these movie stars are also very professional when it comes to their donut preferences. The Midsommar star shared that “jam-filled” is her favorite, but kept mum about Christopher Walken‘s preferences. Maybe that’s a co-star secret we’ll never be privy to and will be kept between scene partners.
It actually isn’t surprising that Christopher Walken would be “surprisingly silly” behind the scenes. While he’s known for his dramatic work in The Deer Hunter and Pulp Fiction, he’s also acted in a number of comedies like Wedding Crashers and Click. Also, who can forget his legendary SNL sketches? As to why Walken chose donuts as a topic of conversation with Florence Pugh, apparently the actor has a connection to the breakfast pastry. Pugh explained:
He, I think, used to make doughnuts. That’s why we were talking about doughnuts. … Unless that’s a big secret, but I think he used to make doughnuts.
I’d love to try a donut made by Christopher Walken, and I’m confident that it would be quite a tasty confection. One has to wonder if he discussed any of this with Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin at any time, as I’m sure pastry-related conversations would’ve really broken the ice. Above all else though, I’m now just wondering if Walken still has those skills. I’d like to think that Florence Pugh would be delighted if he could a “jam-filled” one for her. I’d love to hear more about the star’s past as a donut maker but, at present, I might need to grab some now, because I’m getting hungry.
You can see Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and the rest of the cast of Dune Part Two when the movie hits theaters on March 1. You can also revisit Denis Villeneuve’s first film in the saga, 2021’s Dune, now using a Netflix subscription. For more information on other major titles heading to cinemas and streaming this year, make sure to consult the 2024 movie release schedule.