Austin Butler has revealed that his character's creepy kiss in Dune: Part Two was improvised.
The Elvis actor stars in the sequel to Denis Villeneuve's 2021 sci-fi epic as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, the nephew of Baron Harkonnen (played by Stellan Skarsgård).
One unsettling scene sees Butler's villain exchange a kiss with his uncle as a way to show his devotion to him, which Butler has now revealed wasn't in the script.
Related: Dune: Part Two's Denis Villeneuve reveals the most challenging scene in the sequel
"[The kiss] with Stellan Skarsgård? Oh yeah!" he told Access Hollywood while confirming the scene was improvised.
"He's game for anything. He’s the best… it’s always about how you’re trying to affect somebody else."
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Feyd-Rautha plays a key role in the sequel's central conflict, as his violent tendencies and ambition come to surface.
Ahead of the film's release, Butler revealed that he felt "nervous" about taking on the villainous role.
Related: Dune: Part Two ending explained – how does it set up the next movie?
"I always feel an incredible pressure. I felt that when I was 12 years old. Even if the material doesn't really require it, I feel I need to do the best that I possibly can," he said.
"That sets a bar, and then I'm always afraid that I'm going to miss something. With Dune it was interesting, because I met with Denis, and we got along very well and started talking about the character.
"At that point, we didn't even have a script, but as we started talking about Feyd, my imagination started running and I started to feel the terror of the challenge. That's what I'm guided by now: What really scares me?"
Dune: Part Two is out now in cinemas.
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Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
