Dune Prophecy: Tabu Opens Up About Her Role Sister Francesca, Accepted 'Without Batting Eyelid'

Tabu is all set to make her Hollywood debut with the highly anticipated web series Dune: Prophecy. A few months ago, they unveiled the second teaser offering a first glimpse of the veteran actress. Now, the makers have dropped a stand-alone poster of Tabu as Sister Francesca, offering a closer glimpse. She also opened up about her casting and said she accepted the offer "without batting an eyelid".

Tabu spills the beans about her character Sister Francesca

Late Tuesday, the official Instagram page of Dune shared a still of Tabu from the show and introduced her as Sister Francesca. In the photo, Tabu is dressed in a black ensemble with a ponytail. She looks emotional and intense at the same time. Soon after the post was dropped, an official page of Dune Prophecy commented, "A Sister on the throne. Nothing is more important."

Opening up about her character in a statement, the actress said that she is super excited to enter the Dune universe. She feels delighted that the creators trust her with Sister Francesca's character. “It has been an extraordinary experience playing Sister Francesca in Dune: Prophecy right from the moment I was approached for it, and I said yes without batting an eyelid,” the 52-year-old actress added.

She continued that it is an actor's "delight" to be trusted by the creators with a character that is so "interesting, intriguing, intelligent and emotionally powerful". Tabu is excited to bring her story to the Indian and global audience. However, she asked her fans to be patient as they will see her a "little later" in the season.

"Needless to say, it was such an immersive process diving into the depths of her complexity. I’m so excited to bring her story to the Indian and global audience through JioCinema. Stay tuned as you’ll see me a little later in the season, but the Dune Universe is so rich in its history and intrigue, I can’t wait for audiences around the world to explore it!” Tabu concluded.

What else do we know about Sister Francesca?

Tabu's character is described as "intelligent, strong and alluring," who leaves a lasting impression in the series, as per Variety. Moreover, "once the great love of the Emperor, her return to the palace disrupts the delicate balance of power in the capital," according to the logline.

Dune: Prophecy serves as a prequel to the film Dune (2021), which was based on the 1963–1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, and focuses on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, an exclusive and powerful sisterhood who undergo intense physical training and mental conditioning to obtain superhuman abilities, taking place approximately 10,000 years before the events of the film.  The series "follows sisters Valya and Tula Harkonnen as they combat forces that threaten the future of humanity, and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit."

The series is slated to premiere on both HBO and JioCinema in November 2024.