After first gaining attention for her role as Helen in the award-winning series Normal People and portraying Mary Tudor in Channel 5’s bold Anne Boelyn biopic — something she had never imagined she would do as a woman colour — it’s clear that actress Aoife Hinds is not afraid to push boundaries.
Hinds was born in London to actors Ciarán Hinds and Helene Parat, you might presume the decision to become an actress would be straightforward, however, she spent years travelling and studying before deciding to pursue acting as a full-time career. Speaking with her, she’s clearly been shaped to be a warm and worldly individual who admires the artistry that goes into every part of the filmmaking process.
Her newest role is Dune: Prophecy, set 10,000 years before the events of the films, and follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit. Portraying the devout Sister Emeline in Dune: Prophecy, Hinds portrays a loyal zealot whose family history of martyrdom makes her fierce to her other sisters and the work of the Bene Gesserit but her faith may be tested yet.
1883 Magazine chats with Aoife Hinds to discuss entering the Dune franchise, her beginnings as an actor, pushing herself to try new things, and more.
Congratulations on Dune: Prophecy. What’s it like joining such an epic universe? Because just watching the show, that’s the one word I have for it. It’s epic.
Yeah, it is. It’s huge. It’s like you get into the thing. It’s on another scale that you’ve never been on before. I think there’s something special about it. It’s my first time working on built sets — sets that have been built from scratch. The kind of world-building and the amazing design and artistry that goes into the set and all of the crew that have built it. There’s this scale of world-building that just englobes you into it. It’s massive. Dune already has a massive following. It’s a real honour to be part of it.
I can only imagine because what I’ve seen of it so far is amazing. For you and from your character’s perspective, what would you say is the main takeaway from the show?
There are a lot of messages in it. I think for me, and this was the main thing that made me compelled to do it, is this idea of this organisation of women who are going through all of this strenuous mental training and physical training and pushing the boundaries of what it means to be human. They are doing all of this stuff to get these supernatural powers to control their bodies on a molecular level. For me, it was just an extension of what women and their bodies are capable of mentally and physically. That’s the main thing for me.
Yeah, definitely. Sisterhood is a big theme of the show, of course, because you have the sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit and your character Sister Emeline, she’s a very intense person. But then of course under that you have this great relationship that she has with the other girls. There is a really sweet scene where they’re talking about martyrdom in the sisterhood. What is it like playing Sister Emeline?
It was really interesting for me because I think there’s quite a lot of mystery around her, and I thought that was really interesting. She has this real sense of purpose as a young woman, I think that’s such an incredible thing to have and an incredible thing to play because she wants to share her beliefs and her values and this idea of sacrifice, this idea of martyrdom.
It was also a challenge for me. She’s very religious, very spiritual. I didn’t have a religious upbringing at all, and I was kind of like, ‘how do you get into that mindset? Where’s the common ground?’ It’s this belief in nature and belief in humankind, and through that, her role within the sisterhood.
I don’t know why she gives Joan of Arc vibes, because she’s very much one where she’s going to take charge. There’s a really interesting scene in episode four where she starts leading a reading group, paralleling an early reverend mother. This sense of history repeats itself where you then have a split within Bene Gesserit.
I can see her as a bit of a missionary. And it’s interesting you say that about Joan of Arc because it is this dedication and commitment to a cause, and I think that’s really evident with her. Who knows where that’s going to take her, right? We’re going to see how she develops and all the things that are going to happen and how that’s going to affect how she sees the world. I love the Joan of Arc analogy!
Did you find any similarities between the two of you that you were able to tap into? Well, as you said, you didn’t grow up religious, but any other similarities between you?
I think Emeline is also very empathetic. I think she’s a true empath, and I think that’s something that we have in common. She’s got this guarded personality, but she’s still very supportive of her sisters.
There’s a brilliant training montage, and I need to know what that was like filming with the rain battering down.
That was insane. I mean, before we started filming we had two weeks of prep, working with a fight coordinator and stunt coordinators to see how we were going to do the fighting. That scene where we’re standing, weirdly, I really enjoyed it. We did a few rehearsals where we were all put in wetsuits, so that was hilarious. We were all just standing there in wetsuits, and the director even did it with us — Anna Forster — to see what it felt like.
Solidarity!
So much solidarity with us. It was like, how long can we hold this position? We had to shoot the scene incrementally, so they did like, okay, let’s start with just the rain. And so the rain goes on, then the wind machines, and then the rain machine, which is literally just slapping you in the face. There was something about it, the force, the feeling of just standing there and holding your ground. I remember in the first row, so I was getting all of that rain, right? I was getting into it, getting dirty, and getting really involved in it. It was like nothing I’ve ever done before, but I really enjoyed it.
I’d be scared to go on a trip or a yoga retreat with you! It would be too intense, you’ll be like, ‘Let’s do Everest!’
I would not [laughs] I don’t think I have the propensity to be that person who goes and does that stuff. But once you put your mind to it and actually do it, you come out the other end like, ‘fucking hell, I never thought I’d be able to do that!’ The reward of it afterwards makes it worth it. But I definitely need a push to do those kinds of things. I was in Brazil two years ago, and with the group we were with, we were going to do this three-day trek in the Chapada National Park. I’ve never done a trek before, so I was like, I can’t do this. It’s literally three days of just walking up and down. It was incredible. It was so demanding, but it was incredible. But I definitely needed the push of my friends saying we’re doing it!
The other girls who play your sisters, you guys have such a wonderful bond on screen. Was that really easy to get into?
Yeah, definitely. It was in parallel with what happens in the show. We’re all in this together. I remember the moment we all first met. The show is such a big thing, and it can be quite daunting. You kind of go in, just grab onto each other, and you’re like, ‘I’m not letting you go!’ We had each other’s backs and supported each other. We definitely bonded a lot, and we were away living in Budapest for five months during the whole shoot. The girls became like my family, like in a sisterhood.
Oh, that’s really lovely. It’s almost like a lighter parallel to the messed-up drama of the Bene Gesserit and everything that’s going on in the show. So, for you, do you have any favourite scenes that you’d want to tease to viewers? If you’re telling people to watch this show, what would you tell them to look out for?
Oh my gosh, there’s so many! I’m trying to think. I think it’s in episode five. There’s this amazing scene with Mikaela [Shalom Brune-Franklin] and Keiran [Chris Mason]. Oh, I can’t—wait, I’m going to spoil it! I can’t say that. But they are brilliant.
You previously played Mary Tudor in Channel 5’s Anne Boleyn. And again, there were some similarities that I noticed between Sister Emeline and Mary Tudor. These very strong religious women who put their minds to things. You did that really brilliantly in what was a very, I say groundbreaking, because we haven’t seen a woman of colour play Mary Tudor before. Do you find you really enjoy pushing those boundaries? Because again, sci-fi is not this place where we see a lot of people of colour either.
Yeah, definitely. Interestingly, in period dramas and definitely, you know, when we did Anne Boleyn, you say it was groundbreaking. I never thought I’d be playing one of the Queens of England.
Of course, there’s always a thing of pushing those boundaries, and we’ve still got a long way to go.
I always feel like in sci-fi and fantasy, there’s always been a little more representation—not always acceptance, but more opportunities for actors of colour in sci-fi, sometimes because it’s not rooted in the real world. But we want stories that are rooted in the real world to reflect that representation. I’m definitely here to push and push the boundaries again and again.
We’re all rooting for you! I also just saw you in We Live in Time. A beautiful film. What was it like filming that? It devastated me watching it.
I know, that film destroys you. That was such an amazing project to be part of. I was a really big fan of the writer Nick Payne and an admirer of John Crowley’s work, the director. When I auditioned for it and got the part, I didn’t know who was going to be playing Alma and Tobias yet. Then I found out, and I was like, wow, this is going to be such an amazing experience. To be in that room, watching Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh work together, they’re such brilliant actors and incredible people. Really lovely, great craic. Witnessing them in real-time, being on set, was just incredible. I was like, ‘Wow, I’m really going to take a mental image of this and commit it to my memory.’
I need to see you in something happy because everything I see you in, I’m just getting sad. Is that your dream role? Something happy?
I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I’m French; my mom’s French, and I’d love to explore that side of my identity and maybe play something in French. I also love cooking, and I thought it was cool in We Live in Time, being a female chef, which we rarely see on screen, was such a big part of it. If they made a live-action Ratatouille, I’d want to play Colette, the sous chef. I think I’d love to take a stab at that.
You and Josh O’Connor—I’m here for it.
He would make an amazing Linguini!
I’m here for it. Let’s speak this into existence now.
Yes, let’s put that out in the universe.
You mentioned your mother is French, which I didn’t know. Your dad’s Irish, and they’re both brilliant actors. What’s it like growing up with two such brilliant actors and watching them? Did that encourage your love of acting? Because I know you delayed acting and went to uni before becoming an actress.
You grow up seeing your parents work, visiting them on set, or watching them on tour. As a young kid, I was so well-traveled. I think my dad went to play Richard III in Japan when I was two, and my mom was on tour with a Simon McBurney play, so I went with her to Buenos Aires when I was four. It’s lucky, and you think this is normal life. The companies they worked with and the camaraderie gave me the desire—this is what I want from life. Watching them work, their professionalism, definitely helped me.
When I was a teenager, I wasn’t really focused on what I wanted to do. I just wanted to hang out with my friends. After school, I worked in a theatre in Paris for a year as an usher. That was the best experience. I loved working in a theatre, welcoming the audience each night, and seeing how the play would change and develop. That was enriching. Most of the ushers were also actors and aspiring actors. The theatre director, Peter Brook at the time, allowed us one night to put on our own play.
Oh, that’s fun!
It was incredible. We worked, put on the play, and then it finished. I was heartbroken. I felt this huge loss, and that’s why I thought, maybe I need to take a step back. I went to university to study something else I was interested in. I thought, if I still want to act in three or four years, then maybe it means I’m ready and really want to do it.
That’s a healthy approach to life, exploring different things you want to do.
Sometimes you need to take away from yourself to reinforce what you know already, but you might not have the confidence yet to say, this is exactly what I want to do.
You’ve been in some incredible stuff, like Normal People. And again, please be happy [both laugh]. That’s our takeaway—‘Aoife Hinds Needs to be in Something Happy.’ That’s the headline.
Something Happy and Uplifting!
Back to Dune, and like you said, it was built on real sets with great visuals. Did that make you grateful for how it’s made?
It is incredible. It gives you an idea of all these amazing people. I call them wizards. They create the most amazing sets and visual effects. I’m in such admiration of the artistry and technical stuff. Being on a project this long has meant I can get curious and learn more about behind-the-camera stuff.
Are we going to see you building your own sandworm anytime soon? Just in London, there’s going to be a massive sandworm.
Yes, exactly. It’ll be my performative art debut.
If you, Aoife, were in the Dune universe, what do you think you’d be doing? Would you be in the sisterhood?
Oh my gosh, what would I be doing? These young women thrown into this world have resilience and a going-for-it attitude. They don’t know where it’s going, or which powers they’ll hone because there is so much secrecy around the Bene Gesserit. It is terrifying but extremely rewarding. I’d like to think I would be in the Sisterhood.
Oh, do you think you’d be leading it?
I’d be making my way. I’d go through the agony to become Reverend Mother and then take it from there.
See, I would just want to be in one of the royal houses, chilling for a bit, but then low-key start a rebellion because I ask too many questions.
That’s the best of both worlds, right? Best of both worlds. That’s the fun of it!
How do you unwind after a long day on set?
It depends on my mood. I love to cook myself a nice meal; that’s something I find therapeutic. And then take a nice bath. I got into that recently. I wasn’t used to it, and then I was in a hotel without a shower and took a bath. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, why haven’t I been doing this more?’ Another way is meeting up with friends, going for a nice meal, having a drink, a laugh, and maybe ending the night with some dancing.
I love that. It sounds like my nights out. Might catch you around London.
Aoife: That would be so much fun. You, sandworm? Sandworm. We’re gonna start a sandworm.
We’d confuse so many people! [Both laugh] So what are you watching at the moment?
I’m halfway through a Turkish series on Netflix called Ethos. It’s really interesting. The pace is different from what we make in this part of the world. Amazing female characters and actresses. I have no idea where it’s gonna go. Everything is really heightened. I’m halfway through and love it.
Are we going to catch you in a European drama? I can see you acting in amazing dramas worldwide.
Honestly, that would be a dream. I’d love to work in different countries with directors from different cultures. That would be very fulfilling.
One thing you cannot live without at the moment?
At the moment, I am literally listening to Chapell Roan on a loop. Every time I walk out the door, her whole album is playing. She’s filling me with a lot of bravado that I feel like I need at the moment.
I was literally listening to her before this interview. “Pink Pony Club” is on my repeat. That’s it. Next time I’m in London, we’re going to a club to dance to “Pink Pony Club.”
We’ll build a sandworm. That would fill me with so much joy.
Dune: Prophecy is streaming now on HBO Max.
Interview Michaela Makusha
Photography By Pip
