Dunefans are familiar with House Harkonnen. They’re the archetypal “bad guys,” in control of Arrakis before it was handed over to the heroic Atreides - and determined to get it back. The House is home to such memorable and sinister figures as Baron Vladimir, Glossu “The Beast,” and the scheming warrior Feyd-Rautha. But in the HBO seriesDune: Prophecy,House Harkonnen is portrayed a little differently.Dune: Prophecy’sHouse Harkonnen is weak and grasping, whittled down to just a few remaining members, and torn apart by internal conflicts and festering resentments.
Two of the few remaining members of House Harkonnen during the time ofDune: Prophecyare Evgeny (Mark Addy), a bitter, old exile,Valya and Tula(Emily Watson and Olivia Williams), sisters who chose the Bene Gesserit over their family, and Harrow (Edward Davis) an ambitious young schemer. Game Rant spoke to Davis and Addy about the House Harkonnen ofDune: Prophecy,which is defined by bitterness, resentment, and a desire to rise to great heights once again.
Evgeny Harkonnen Is Shackled By The Past
Mark Addy is no stranger to playing powerful characters, such asKing Robert Baratheonin the first season ofGame of Thrones.In Evgeny Harkonnen, Addy is faced with a unique challenge - portraying a character who has no power, who has spent most of his life poor and miserable in exile on the whaling planet Lankiveil.
Once, Evgeny had hope that House Harkonnen would rise again in the form of thenoble heir Griffin, but, since Griffin’s death, he has become defined by this loss he is unable to overcome. He loathes Valya and Tula, who he sees as having abandoned their family in favor of the Bene Gesserit, and this resentment has “festered and become worse” throughout his life. Addy describes Evgeny’s character:
“He’s kind of fueled by his bitterness at Valya. He blames her for Griffin’s death. Griffin was going to be the golden boy, and he was the future of the house. There’s very little else in his life other than that sort of obsessive bitterness, so it’s interesting to play.”
Harrow Harkonnen Schemes For The Future
Young, fiercely ambitiousHarrow, played with a compelling intensity by Edward Davis, is in many ways the opposite of his uncle Evgeny. Harrow has spent his entire life being compared to Griffin, and knows he cannot live up to the “golden boy” Evgeny describes. When asked if Harrow compares himself to the former heir, Davis laughed. “Well, there’s that big painting of Griffin right there in his home,” he pointed out.
But Harrow andValyaultimately team up to increase House Harkonnen’s influence and standing by going against Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong). Harrow does not let Evgeny hold him back, instead welcoming Valya back to the family. While Evgeny is defined by his bitterness, Harrow is defined by his ambition, which Davis described:
“I think his ambition is emotional for him. It’s not a sort of capitalist ambition. It means so much to him to not just elevate House Harkonnen to its former glory, but also to be the one who has done that. And yeah, he’s the weakest element of a family that is weak, and that can only go in one direction. He can’t go any lower, so he has to fight his way to the top mark.”
Harrow and Evgeny, along with Valya and Tula, are different and more nuanced House Harkonnen characters compared to anythingDunefans have previously seen.Potential future seasons ofDune: Prophecywill hopefully continue to explore the chaos, turmoil, and frayed relationships that define this truly unique version of House Harkonnen.
