Why Jessica From Dune Looks So Familiar
"Dune" is finally here, and by most accounts, Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi/fantasy spectacle is the biggest movie of the year in every possible way. Adapted from Frank Herbert's iconic novel of the same name, "Dune" follows young nobleman Pauel Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as his family is discharged to the perilous desert planet Arrakis to oversee the harvesting of "spice," the most important element in the galaxy. But Arrakis holds dangers unknown to House Atreides, and Paul's powerful connection to the planet itself leads him on a journey beyond his wildest dreams.
Much has, understandably, already been made of the film's epic scale as Villeneuve continues to urge viewers to see the film in theaters (per Total Film) instead of on the HBO Max platform where it's already streaming. While the visual grandeur of "Dune" is undoubtedly blowing the minds of viewers across the globe, the film's cast is every bit as epic, with the likes of Oscar Isaac, Jason Mamoa, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, and more joining Chalamet in the action. Those faces will be more than familiar to most moviegoers, as will that of the actor who portrays Paul's mother, Lady Jessica Atreides, in the film. It belongs to the great Rebecca Ferguson, and here's why she looks so familiar.
Rebecca Ferguson kicked butt alongside Tom Cruise in the Mission Impossible franchise
You may not realize it, but Ferguson has been working as a professional actor for more than two decades. She has been in far greater demand in the past few years, and that's largely thanks to her big screen breakout opposite Tom Cruise in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. That breakout came in said franchise's electrifying 2015 entry, "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation," which found Cruise's Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Mission Force pals facing off against a rogue squad of international agents every bit as skilled as they are.
Ferguson entered the action as disavowed MI6 agent Ilsa Faust, who initially appears to be working for the bad guys. As is often the case in "Mission: Impossible," things aren't exactly what they seem, with Ethan and company soon teaming with Faust to bring down big bad Syndicate boss Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). Ferguson returned to the franchise as Faust in the 2018 follow-up "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" and is set to become a franchise staple with spots in both of the franchise's upcoming sequels.
Doctor Sleep found her playing big, bad Rose the Hat
After launching to fame in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, Rebecca Ferguson began booking gigs in films of all shapes, sizes, and genres while working with some of the best directors in the game. That includes current genre maestro Mike Flanagan, who's been responsible for some of the best horror offerings in release of late, including "Oculus," "Gerald's Game," "The Haunting of Hill House," and most recently, "Midnight Mass." Though it was arguably Flanagan's biggest project to date, the director's 2019 adaptation of Stephen King's "Doctor Sleep" (a sequel to both King's legendary novel "The Shining" and Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of it) remains one of his most, ahem, slept on films. That's a legitimate shame, because it's also one of Flanagan's best.
Set decades after the events of "The Shining," "Doctor Sleep" finds an adult Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) largely suppressing his powerful gifts. He befriends a young woman (Kyliegh Curan) whose "Shine" is even greater than his. Eventually, the powerful pair teams up to battle a nefarious cult called the True Knot, who gain extraordinarily long life by consuming the psychic essence of those who "shine" by brutally murdering said Shiners — a fact group leader Rose the Hat seems to enjoy. Yes, that was Ferguson portraying the vile Rose in "Doctor Sleep," and yes, it remains one of the actor's finest performances to date.
Ferguson played a troubled memory thief in Reminiscence
You might recall Rebecca Ferguson landed one of her biggest post-"Rogue Nation" roles in 2017, when the Swedish-born actor starred opposite Hugh Jackman as famed Swedish singer Jenny Lind in the circus-set musical fantasia "The Greatest Showman." The pair's chemistry in that film was positively electric, and it was once again on full display when they re-teamed for 2021's noir-tinged sci-fi stunner "Reminiscence."
That film was written and directed by one of the "Westworld" masterminds Lisa Jo. Jackman portrays Nick, a Miami-based private detective who breaks cases by using a groundbreaking technology to study memories. Nick's life is thrown into flux when he falls for the enigmatic femme fatale Mae (Ferguson) and promptly spirals into an obsessive search for the truth when she mysteriously vanishes. What follows is a stylish, mind-bending detective tale that truly has to be seen to be believed.
Unfortunately, not many people actually saw "Reminiscence" when it was released early in 2021, despite the film debuting on the HBO Max streaming platform the same day hit theaters. Those who did see the film would be quick to tell you Ferguson is absolutely brilliant in one of her most complex performances to date. Here's hoping more people discover this overlooked gem when it finally returns to streaming land.