Timothee Chalamet says wrapping 'Dune: Part Three' felt like 'losing a part of me'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Timothee Chalamet is opening up about the emotional impact of wrapping 'Dune: Part Three', admitting it was difficult to say goodbye to the franchise that has defined much of his career. 

The 30-year-old actor, who portrays Paul Atreides, said completing the trilogy left him feeling "melancholic" after spending nearly a decade with the character. “I still felt like I was losing a part of me by getting through it,” he added. 

Speaking at a global fan event for the trailer launch of 'Dune: Part Three' in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 8, Chalamet described the latest installment as the most personal film of the trilogy, reflecting on the lasting bond he formed with the cast, crew, and the world of Arrakis.

Timothee Chalamet says ending 'Dune' marked the close of a defining chapter

During the fan event moderated by Brittany Broski, Chalamet explained that filming the final scenes of 'Dune: Part Three' was an emotional experience because it meant leaving behind a project that had been a major part of his life.

He said he felt "melancholic to be moving on from this incredible family, incredible crew," adding that he "just couldn't believe how quickly the experience came and went."

The Oscar-nominated actor also admitted, "I still felt like I was losing a part of me by getting through it." Chalamet further described 'Dune: Part Three' as the most emotionally significant instalment for him. 

"I’ve been living with this for so long,” said the actor, who was cast as Atreides in 2018 ahead of 'Dune: Part One' (2021). "I’m so proud to live with it. I’m so proud to work with Denis [Villeneuve] and this family."

"So I felt there was a finality in the exercise that I was kind of nostalgic about, even in the moment, even though I was 29 when we shot this." When asked about a creative risk he was proud the 'Dune' team never compromised on, Chalamet said the filmmakers stayed committed to the story's bold ideas throughout the trilogy. 

"The concepts in this movie are out there. And I don't think we ever had a comedic point of view, for lack of a better expression, about it. I think everyone took it at face value. It's hard not to," he said.

Chalamet added that the same sincerity guided the cast and crew across all three films, crediting director Denis Villeneuve for setting that standard. "The sincerity of the approach" remained constant on set, he said, before adding, "And that starts with this man."

'Dune: Part Three' adapts Frank Herbert's 'Dune Messiah'

The third instalment reunites Chalamet with returning stars Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson and Anya Taylor-Joy, while Robert Pattinson joins the cast in a key role. The 'Twilight' star will play Scytale, an unusual shape-shifting antagonist who challenges Emperor Atreides.

Picking up after the events of 'Dune: Part Two', the film follows Atreides as he takes power on Arrakis after seizing the imperial throne. Unlike the first two films, which adapted Frank Herbert's 1965 novel 'Dune', the final chapter draws its story from the 1969 sequel, 'Dune Messiah'.

Directed by Villeneuve, 'Dune: Part Three' is scheduled to arrive in theatres on December 18.