People Won’t Stop Asking Timothée Chalamet And Zendaya About Their Kissing Scenes In “Dune,” And It’s Seriously Weird

It’s a movie!!! They’re acting!!!!

You know Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. They are two of the most acclaimed young actors in Hollywood and the stars of the most exciting film of the moment, Dune: Part Two.

Closeup of Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet

As you may know, the pair are returning for the highly anticipated sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation, starring together as Paul Atreides and Chani.

Timothée portraying Paul Atreides in layered attire, looking intently ahead in a desert scene

Around the time the first Dune movie was released in 2021, there was disappointment among fans who felt they’d been misled by Zendaya’s top billing after she only appeared for a total of seven minutes throughout the two and a half hour film.

Close-up of an emotional Zendaya as Chani in "Dune," surrounded by others

But, for the second installment, viewers can rest assured that they’ll be seeing a lot more of Zendaya as her character Chani takes center stage alongside Timothée’s Paul.

Paul and Chani in a dramatic close-up

For a quick reminder, Dune: Part Two picks up where the first film left off, with Paul teaming up with Chani and the Fremen to take on an army as he rises to power and eventually rebels against Emperor Shaddam IV.

Timothée Chalamet in character wearing a futuristic suit, standing in a dimly lit ceremonial hall

If you’re familiar with the Dune novels, you’ll know that another major storyline we’re set to see more of in Part Two is the romantic relationship between Chani and Paul as he is forced to choose between his love and the fate of the universe.

Close-up of Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in Dune, looking intently at someone off-camera

In an interview with Screen Rant earlier this month, Zendaya shared a little about how Chani and Paul’s relationship in the movie differs from Frank Herbert’s original novel series, revealing that Denis’s take on the love story allows for Chani to “have her own mind and spirit.”

Closeup of Zendaya on the red carpet

And so, with rave reviews piling up, and a whole lot of character development to dig into, you’d think people would be spoilt for choice with questions to ask Timothée and Zendaya about Dune: Part Two.

Closeup of Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya

However, it seems like the line of questioning about the film’s central love story keeps coming back to one thing — kissing.

Paul and Chani kissing as they sit in the sand

Yep. Since the Dune press tour began, Timothée (the youngest Best Actor Oscar nominee since 1940) and Zendaya (the youngest two-time Emmy winner in history) have been hounded with questions about whether or not they were able to portray a romantic relationship on screen without getting weirded out by each other.

Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet doing a QA

When the pair were first asked whether it’s “natural” for them to kiss onscreen during an interview with Entertainment Tonight on Feb. 6, both attempted to laugh it off and admitted it’s obviously a bit unusual to get intimate with someone you’re friends with personally — but it’s nothing they’re not used to as actors.

Timothée Chalamet in a casual interview, smiling, with a blurred background

When asked the same question, Zendaya gave a similarly honest response and, like Timothée, drew attention to their craft.

Zendaya in a top, with layered necklaces, during an interview

And while their answers at the start of the press run were more detailed, it appears that Timmy and Zendaya are understandably getting tired of the kissing questions — which seem better suited to the stars of a teen drama, rather than the sequel to an Oscar-nominated picture.

Zendaya in a metallic outfit and Timothée Chalamet in a black suit pose side by side

Notably, Timothée had little time for a question about his kissing scenes at the Paris premiere for the movie, as he reminded a red carpet reporter that he and Zendaya have been in the business long enough to get their work done professionally.

@brutamerica

We asked Timothée Chalamet if it was strange to kiss co-star and friend Zendaya for Dune 2. Here’s what he said…

♬ original sound - Brut.
@brutamerica / TikTok / Via tiktok.com
“We’re pushing 30 and have been great friends for years,” he said, shrugging and shaking his head. “That was the nature of the job on this one and the nature of the script. It’s not more complicated than that.”