In Dune: Prophecy, the women of Dune‘s fabled sect, the Sisterhood ( soon to be known as the Bene Gesserit), take center stage. As we get to know the various players of the Sisterhood in Dune: Prophecy‘s episodes, Jade Anouka’s Sister Theodosia is sure to catch our eye. Sister Theodosia has a special relationship with Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen, the series’ main character, and has something of a mysterious past. All we know at the outset, though, is that the Sisterhood gave Sister Theodosia sanctuary at a time of great need. But undoubtedly, her past will come into play as Dune: Prophecy‘s mysteries unfold.
At Dune: Prophecy‘s New York City premiere, we had the pleasure of speaking with Jade Anouka about Sister Theodosia, more affectionately known as Theo, and both the character and actor’s journey into Dune‘s world.
Nerdist: What do you think Theo’s main motivation is in her Dune: Prophecy journey?
Jade Anouka: I think, for Theo, it’s to be seen, to be seen for who she is, her real capabilities, her heart, and her soul, rather than what she can do.
Ideally, what kind of sister do you think Theo wants to be?
Anouka: I think she wants to be the best. I think she wants to be able to work hard and to be able to do all the things that Valya can do, really.
And if she were in charge, how do you think Theo would run the Sisterhood in Dune: Prophecy?
Anouka: I don’t think she would run it that well, actually. I think she’d be like: “Everyone, embrace your personality, your creativity. I think we need new fits. We need to change these costumes. Everyone wear what represents you. I want to see your personality.”
Which doesn’t really shout “Sisterhood, above all.” It more shouts, “Do you, girl.”
It sounds like Theo is really leading with her passion. But the Sisterhood doesn’t really like individuality all that much. Is there a tension at work between Theo and the organization?
Anouka: Well, I think that’s a really interesting thing that we discover about Theo and about how our individuality, and particularly her individual individuality, comes out. She’s actually in the Sisterhood to fit in and to be part of something that respects her. So, in some ways, it actually does work quite well for her.
Would you characterize Theo, overall, as a good character, an evil character, or kind of a gray area character in Dune: Prophecy?
Anouka: I think she’s a really good character. I think she is a good character, but she’s also the product of her past.
How did you first get introduced to Dune and the whole Dune universe?
Anouka: I saw the first Denis Villeneuve film. I think it came out just around audition time. So yeah, I think I saw the first film, and that was my first in to the Dune world.
And did you go into the Dune books at all to help you prepare for Dune: Prophecy? Or did you study mostly the cinematic universe?
Anouka: Yeah, it was the cinematic universe. I think there was talk about how our show—we’d be diving into the Sisterhood of Dune, but I know that there’s a lot of movement there. And I was told that my character doesn’t actually exist in the books. And so I was like, actually, I don’t know how helpful that will be. And so, it became more about working with what I was given in the text and trusting that the showrunner and the writers, who know the Dune universe really well. And so they would write the things that were needed, and that’s how they would tell me what I needed to know about Dune.
And to finish off, can you tease a little bit about your favorite scene from Dune: Prophecy?
Anouka: My favorite scene. Oh, they’re all so good. But, basically, it’s episodes four, five, and six. That’s when Theo really comes into her own.
Dune: Prophecy premieres on Max on November 17.
Editor’s Note: Dune: Prophecy is a Legendary Entertainment production. Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.