In an exclusive interview with Temple of Geek, Faoileann Cunningham, who plays Sister Jen in the HBO series “Dune: Prophecy,” gave us a glimpse into the character’s motivations, her complex relationship with Lila, and her surprising resilience in the face of the show’s many challenges.

“Dune: The Prophecy” is a deep look into a Sisterhood of Secrets

From the very beginning, Sister Jen is a force to be reckoned with. Her fierce independence and questioning nature make her a standout character in the Sisterhood School. As Cunningham explains, Jen “wants full ownership over whatever opinions she has of things,” refusing to accept anything as true until she has found it to be true for herself.

I think she just wants full ownership over whatever opinions she has of things. I think she’s pretty fair in being like, well, you still haven’t answered my question. A lot of the time her biggest motivation is like, I’m not going to accept something as true until I’ve found it to be true for myself.  

One of the most compelling aspects of the show is the complex relationship between Jen and Lila. Their friendship is a source of warmth and affection in the otherwise plot-driven world of “Dune: Prophecy.” Cunningham describes the experience of working with Chloe, who plays Lyla, as “amazing,” and says that she learned a great deal from her co-star.

Chloe is just the most epic person to work with. Genuinely. I mean, I have a friend for life from this job in Chloe, and honestly, I learned so much from her as a professional. It was amazing. I think it was very exciting for both of us to go into this huge set every day and then really just get down to work and really mine into these scenes and figure out what these characters meant to each other at different moments. When you trust someone that much, you can be really playful. It was really exciting for us to see what came out in the finished episodes because obviously we play scenes loads of different ways. And I think that’s a beautiful privilege to kind of have that trust with someone.

How Sister Jen Navigates Distrust and Hidden Agendas

As the series progresses, Jen’s distrust of Lila and the Sisterhood grows. She becomes aware of hidden agendas and begins to question the motives of those around her. This distrust, Cunningham suggests, is not necessarily a sign of animosity but rather a reflection of Jen’s maturity and her growing awareness of the complexities of the world around her.

It’s really interesting because like lots of people have said that to me, and I suppose I always saw it more as like she’s just been there for longer. So to some degree, she’s actually just grown up a bit. So I’m not sure that I would feel happy saying she fully distrust or trusts either way. Or that she’s like at a different place with the information. Whereas at the beginning she was very reactively, like oh, this is dumb. Whereas now I think it’s beautifully put together in the show, that they’ve given those little moments where we see her kind of going, I heard that, but I’m not going to say something. Which I think is really different, or the moments where she does step up because maybe, again, her emotion takes over the cerebral capacity for that information.  

The Power of the Younger Generation

Jen is part of a younger generation that is pushing back against the established order. This theme is evident throughout the series, as characters like Constantine Corrino and Sister Theodosia also challenge the status quo. Cunningham believes that Jen’s role in this generational shift is one of the most exciting aspects of the character.

I think that’s what I loved about her from the beginning. And what really appealed to me as an actor within a script, because it’s actually it’s such an exciting position within a show to be the person that is constantly in contradiction.  

Jen and her Resilience in the Face of Fear and Grief

Despite the fear and grief that permeates the Sisterhood, Jen remains surprisingly resilient. Cunningham attributes this resilience to Jen’s past experiences and her ability to deal with high-intensity situations.

I thought it was very interesting. As you see in this episode, she’s well able to deal. Even as shocking is as it is, she’s well able to deal with a high intensity situation. She’s still breathing through it all, like she doesn’t walk in the door and pass out or she doesn’t run. I think that has somewhat to do with maybe what has happened in her past and how her brain has been formed from a young age. Her capacity for dreams are her capacity to have nightmares. Does she even sleep well? Who knows?  

Looking Ahead

As the series progresses, it remains to be seen what role Jen will play in the power struggles that lie ahead. Cunningham hints that Jen’s belief in autonomy and her high standards for herself and others will guide her path.

I think she champions autonomy and she champions kind of believing your own brain and believing your own thoughts and sitting with those things and challenging yourself as much as you challenged the world outside yourself in equal measure. She holds a very high standard for herself and those around her. That’s how she believes she will reach a fair point of existence.  

Faoileann Cunningham has given us a deeper understanding of Sister Jen, a character whose complexity and resilience make her a fan favorite in the world of “Dune: Prophecy.” We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Jen and how her journey will continue to unfold in the series.

Dune: Prophecy’s season finale, “The High-Handed Enemy,” explodes onto Max this December 22nd. You won’t want to miss a single moment of this thrilling conclusion.

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