Zendaya Opens Up About Heatstroke Incident on Dune: Part Two Set

Zendaya recently shared a behind-the-scenes challenge she faced while filming Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two. In an interview with W Magazine, the actress revealed she suffered a heatstroke while shooting in Jordan's scorching desert due to her decision to limit water intake.

“I had such a fear of peeing or worse in the suit on set,” Zendaya admitted, referring to the Fremen body armor, designed to endure extreme desert conditions. The actress explained that reaching bathrooms on location required a lengthy hike, and removing the costume took at least 10 minutes.

“I thought I was being smart by not drinking much water,” she said. “One day, I didn’t drink enough, and I ended up with heatstroke. I felt so sick, I called my mom from the bathroom floor. She asked if I drank water, and when I said no, I realized my mistake. Lesson learned!”

Despite the incident, Zendaya credited her physical fitness for helping her manage the weight and restrictions of the costumes. Having just wrapped Challengers, where she played a tennis prodigy, she was in peak shape for Dune.

“For Dune, the costumes were heavy and restrictive,” she explained. “The first few weeks were tough, but walking in the sand every day definitely worked out my legs!”

Zendaya reprises her role as Chani in Dune: Part Two and has already expressed enthusiasm for a third installment, based on Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah. Legendary Entertainment is currently developing the project.

“Anytime Denis calls, it’s a yes from me,” Zendaya said. “I’ve started reading Messiah, and it’s so much to take in, but there’s no one better to bring it to life than Denis.”

Both Dune films are now available for streaming on Max and Netflix.