But not all Bene Gesserit shoes are created equal. Both Chloe Lea (who plays Sister Lila) and Jade Anouka (Sister Theodosia) were decidedly No so comfortable in their shoes.
“We were in the most uncomfortable shoes,” Lea said at a press roundtable before the premiere. “Flat, like rock hard on the bottom. […] Maybe Jess got to wear Nike and I'm a little jealous of that.”
One could attribute it to different needs of different Bene Gesserit eras. Barden plays young Valya Harkonnen, when she was in her early days in the Brotherhood. The sisters Lila and Theodosia appear about 30 years later, when the Brotherhood is a little more developed and is led by Superior Valya Harkonnen.
“Maybe 30 years ago they had different shoes. But when we were there, they were basically black pieces of cardboard,” Anouka said. “[But] Cardboard with beautifully intricate designs on top!
Not that the Bene Gesserit ever claimed to be an egalitarian wonderland. Look no further than the highest ranks: both Emily Watson and Olivia Williams (who play older versions of Mother Superior Valya and Reverend Mother Tula Harkonnen, respectively) emphasize that they had excellent shoes on set. “They're kind of orthopedic slippers disguised as Bene Gesserit shoes,” Watson said.
Williams went a step further and credited Watson with bringing them (Oofos, if you must know) into Valya and Tula's wardrobe, something he jokes he should get a cut of the company for promoting. “We were eager to put ourselves in our shoes.”
It's a bit of art that reflects life: one of Williams' favorite moments on set was learning prana-bindu alongside the younger girls. As she remembers: “There is a moment that is chaos, and a bit like watching a bad production of A chorus lineand then there is a moment when you all move as one; A beautiful kind of unconscious energy in the room when we started moving as a cast,” Williams recalls. “And then: the absolute admiration when our characters were able to stand and watch as they had to while being battered by rain, wind and hail.
“So it was probably a moment that brought them together. And we look.”
For Anouka, at least, the edict was clear, understood, and ultimately quite amusing to her: “Brotherhood above all. “You don’t need arches in your feet.”
Dune: Prophecy premieres Sunday, November 17 at 9 pm EST.