Before ‘Star Trek,’ Patrick Stewart Proved His Sci-Fi Chops in 1984’s ‘Dune’

Before playing Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Patrick Stewart appeared as Gurney Halleck in David Lynch’s 1984 film Dune. The article revisits that early science-fiction role through actor Kyle MacLachlan’s account of filming with Stewart, showing how Stewart brought the seriousness and presence of a seasoned stage actor to an unfamiliar, large-scale production.

MacLachlan was 24 and, like Stewart, new to film; he knew Frank Herbert’s Dune stories well and often helped Stewart understand the fictional world. Their scenes were filmed in Mexico, including inside a partly built ornithopter in front of a blue screen. MacLachlan recalls Stewart asking how his character could know a sandworm was eight minutes away, and director David Lynch welcoming the question.