Dune Actor Has No Regrets Being Cut For The Sequel

In both parts of Denis Villenueve’s epic Dune films not everyone cast can still make it on screen. Actor Tim Blake Nelson openly said he’s heartbroken about his scenes being cut, but has no hard feelings about it personally. Stephen McKinley Henderson played advisor Thufir Hawat in the first Dune movie and fans expected him to return, but that wasn’t the case.

Cutting Henderson from the sequel was a tough call and “one of the most painful choices for me,” Villeneuve told Entertainment Weekly. McKinley however isn’t as disappointed in the choice and understands that sometimes it’s all about the process.

“I shot stuff for them and had a great time with Denis and Austin Butler,” McKinley told Entertainment Weekly. “I got to have a nice lunch with Christopher Walken. It was a great thing to be a part of, and I understand it comes with the territory. Denis had to do the film that he had to do. So I just love being a part of it. No regrets.”

The actor added that Villeneuve told him he wasn’t going to be in the movie months ago. “It wasn’t like I found out last week or anything,” Henderson added. “But what I was thinking was, ‘Man, I got Civil War.’ Quite honestly, this was the one that I was most looking forward to.”

As for the footage of the cut stars, Villeneuve told Collider back in February that will never happen. “I’m a strong believer that when it’s not in the movie, it’s dead,” the filmmaker said at the time. “I kill darlings, and it’s painful for me.”

Dune Part 2 is in theaters now.