Stellan dune
Swedish actor and "Mamma Mia" star Stellan Skarsgård wants to address the pound villain in the "Dune. There were no computer-generated imagery enhancements for his complete transformation into the epically evil and extraordinarily large Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.
That's all Skarsgård, 70, with intricate makeup and a full-body prosthetics suit creating the cruelly cunning Baron, who was built to the size described in Frank Herbert's classic " Dune" sci-fi novels. The transformation was made all the more difficult with Skarsgård's "monster" appearing in various stages of nakedness throughout "Dune" in theaters and HBO Max Thursday , including a stream bath.
Screen Rant
Timothée Chalamet learned this new skill from 'Dune': 'I hope I won't have to use it'. What to know from 'Dune' the book before seeing the movie or how to sound like you've read it. Achieving the menacing look required a prolonged process. It took five make-up artists 6. There were seven prosthetic pieces just for the actor's face, and hand prosthetics over his knuckles alone weighed nearly 10 pounds.
Skarsgård says the suit in total weighed close to 88 pounds. But dragging around 88 pounds and trying to act normal physically is pretty hard," says Skarsgård, who relaxed during the marathon makeup sessions. Don't panic and sit still, watch the experts paint every vein by hand. It's quite fascinating.
How Stellan Skarsgård, director Denis Villeneuve created 'Dune' villain Baron Harkonnen
A required hidden cooling vest attached to a portable refrigerator system added to the burden whenever the actor wore the all-encompassing ensemble on set. Not very dignified, but it helped me survive. It looks just ridiculous, of course. But his Baron is far from ridiculous on screen, showing unfathomable cruelty as he and his family rule the mining planet Dune and then scheme to get it back from the House Atreides , led by Duke Leto Atreides Oscar Isaac.
Stellan Skarsgård: Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
Skarsgård and director Denis Villeneuve wanted to bring a villain to the screen that audiences had not seen before, avoiding the blister-filled face Baron Harkonnen Kenneth McMillan featured in 's "Dune" "too distracting" says Skarsgård and rebuffing suggestions such as adding armor to the all-powerful character. During one of the most striking visual scenes, the wounded Harkonnen rises ominously from a healing mud bath, a vision that came from the depths of Villeneuve's subconscious.
The stunning scene required "an engineering feat" to pull off, says Donald Mowat, the head of makeup and hair design. We lost a full suit cutting holes in it to weigh him down," says Mowat. He pulled off the scene to reveal full Harkonnen menace, one of the "Dune" homages to 's "Apocalypse Now. During a dramatic meeting with Isaac's Duke, Harkonnen shows all his cruelty while eating ragged meat.
Skarsgard knew the perfect delicacy for his all-consuming character. Skarsgård enjoyed the meal and the meaty villain. But he's in no rush to go through the transformation again to shoot the "Dune" sequel should the project get the greenlight. Skarsgård jokingly made that clear to filmmakers at the Venice Film Festival premiere last month. How Stellan Skarsgård transformed to 'Dune's pound, often-naked 'monster' villain Baron Harkonnen.
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