Anya Taylor-Joy had an unexpected appearance in Dune: Part Two as Alia Atreides, but the actor’s age didn’t quite line up with her character’s. Paul Atreides had several visions in Dune: Part Two, and some of them included images of his sister, Alia. As she was portrayed by Taylor-Joy, Alia appeared to be a grown woman in the vision, though she hadn’t been born yet in the movie. While Paul’s vision was certainly a glimpse into the future, it’s difficult to determine how far into the future he saw, or how old Alia was supposed to be.
Director Denis Villeneuve made several changes to the Dune books, and Alia’s role was one of the biggest modifications. Alia had several powers in the Dune books, and she played a much bigger part in its events than she did in the movie. While she wasn’t utilized much in Dune: Part Two, Alia will almost certainly be a major character in Dune: Part Three, and Taylor-Joy will likely reprise her role. Translating Alia’s complex character to the screen will pose a challenge, but explaining her ambiguous age will be even more difficult.
