David Lynch‘s 1984 adaptation of Dune, a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, is a particularly divisive film. Thanks in part to the troubled production, Lynch has publicly stated that he considers it the only failure of his career. Per IndieWirehe even goes so far as to say it is “great grief [his] life.” It’s also the only movie he didn’t have final editing rights to, meaning the version we’re seeing is the studio’s version.
But there are things to love about this strange, gritty blockbuster. The production design, for example, is undeniably interesting, thanks in part to iconic art direction and costumes from Anthony Masters, Pier Luigi Basile, and Bob Ringwood. And let’s not forget about the cast: after all, this is the only movie where you can see the musician Sting on screen alongside Sir Patrick Stewart. Even if it was surpassed by Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 version of Dune, Lynch’s portrayal remains a curious artifact of 1980s film culture. With music by Toto and weapons you fire by yelling at them, it’s a fun, if not entirely successful attempt at bringing a complex book to the silver screen. So, where are David Lynch’s actors Dune Today?
Kyle MacLachlan
David Lynch took his chance on the youngsters Kyle MacLachlan when he handed him the lead role in Dune. It was the screen debut of the Washington theater actor, and he did admirably as Paul Atreides. Fortunately, the failure of Dune didn’t undermine his career, and he went on to have a lifelong working relationship with Lynch, starring in the thriller Blue velvet and the mystery series Twin Peaks. More recently, MacLachlan reprized his role as Dale Cooper Twin Peaks: The Return. He’s also gearing up for a role in the upcoming Amazon Fallout series.
Virginia Madsen
Virginia Madsen plays Princess Irulan, daughter of the Emperor of the Universe and the main style talking narrator of the film. Aside from providing background on Dune’s setting and characters, she does not appear in the events for the most part. She went on from Dune to lead the horror classic Candymanwith later roles in American dreams, Monk, and other television series. Although not a major player, she has found steady employment in the industry from the 1980s to the present.
Patrick Stewart
If not for Sting, Patrick Stewart would undoubtedly be the biggest star in Dune‘s cast. The famous Star Trek actor was brought on board to play Gurney Halleck – a wise warrior-musician who becomes a major player in the Dune sequel novels. Today, Stewart is one of the world’s most respected actors. He played Professor X in the X-Men film franchise and returned to the role of Captain Picard in Star Trek: Picard in 2020. At 82 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down.
Lurch
Lurch (from The Police) was a surprise addition to the cast of Dune. But the 17-time Grammy Award-winning musician turned in a stellar performance as the villainous and spiky Feyd-Rautha. It is one of his few film roles and he has acted only sporadically since then. Music-wise, he has had a lucrative career as a solo artist and released his latest studio album in 2021.
Sean Young
After starring in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner in 1982 and Dune in 1984, Sean Young seemed to have the makings of a big star. And she did well for herself – today she has more than 120 acting credits to her name. Her best-known role came out in 1994 with Ace Ventura: Animal Detective, the Jim Carrey-led comedy classic. She continues to work today as an actor in small productions, and she returned to the blade runner franchise in 2017, reprising her role as Rachel (this time using CGI and a body double to make her look younger).
Everett McGill
Although not the biggest name in Dune, Everett McGill is worth mentioning. McGill, like Kyle MacLachlan, has maintained a close working relationship with David Lynch, who is in the Twin Peaks series as “Big Ed” Hurley, a lovable gas station owner and uncle of James Hurley. In 1999, McGill left the acting world and went on to live a quiet life away from show business. Remarkably, however, Lynch was able to bring him back as Ed Hurley Twin Peaks: The Return in 2017, some 18 years after he retired.
Brad Dourif
Brad Dourif is an exemplary supporting actor (and sometimes leading actor) who enhances every film in which he appears. In Dunehe plays Piter de Vries, a kind of humanoid computer who carries dark secrets. Today, Dourif is best known for voicing Chucky in the Child’s play series, by Yahoo. But you might also recognize him as Serpent Tongue, King Théoden of Rohan’s sly adviser in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.