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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
However, it seems like the line of questioning about the film’s central love story keeps coming back to one thing — kissing.
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.
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.
When asked the same question, Zendaya gave a similarly honest response and, like Timothée, drew attention to their craft.
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.
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.
When met with the same line of questioning, Zendaya attempted to mask her exhaustion with a tired laugh, saying: “I think it’s our job. I think it’s not our first rodeo.”
And just when we thought the duo had made themselves clear enough, Timmy was faced with the same topic when recently asked by a British TikToker if his offscreen relationship with Zendaya made it “harder” for them to portray a romance in the movie.
This interview was only published on Monday, and has already been stirring up conversation among fans who can’t believe that two such highly acclaimed actors are continually being questioned like amateurs.
Evidenced by the fact that Zendaya and Timothée have repeatedly had to emphasize that it’s their job to act in films, fans also highlighted that the constant questioning about their onscreen romance undermines their integrity and professionalism.
Others dropped reminders that Timothée and Zendaya are factually two of the most acclaimed actors in their generation — also noting the irony in the fact that it was his performance as a romantic lead that earned Timmy his first Oscar nomination.
Suffice to say, Timothée and Zendaya certainly deserve better than to have their performances reduced to fodder, and it seems like the film’s reviews are already refocusing people’s attention.
Dune: Part Two hits theaters on March 1.