Rebecca Ferguson bravely shared her story of dealing with an intolerable co-star during an interview as a part of her press tour for Dune: Part Two. Ferguson detailed her experience with an “idiot” co-star who had made her shed tears on set because of their despicable behavior. Even facing a daunting work atmosphere, she gathered her courage to defend her dignity and demanded respect from her indifferent colleague. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson empathized with her and expressed his desire to know about the person who caused her this pain.
An Insensitive Co-star on Set
The actress who beautifully portrayed Lady Jessica in Dune: Part Two was all candid in the interview. Ferguson expressed her anguish over a former co-star’s repulsive conduct that had deeply affected her while they were working together. She said:
I did a film with an absolute idiot of a co-star — doesn’t matter who it is. I’m going to try and not give this away. Everyone’s going to be like, [who is it?]
Ferguson took this on a lighter note and chuckled at her fans’ curiosity to find out the identity of this “absolute idiot”. She even teased about her notable co-stars such as Hugh Jackman from The Greatest Showman and Tom Cruise from the Mission: Impossible series.
‘Jack? Hugh Jackman?!’ [Laughs] No, it’s not Hugh. And not Tom Cruise.
Rebecca Ferguson Rising Above
Ferguson cast light on her troubling past, where she was belittled by this thoughtless co-star who was moreover the Number One on the call sheet. Despite being in a vulnerable and uncomfortable state, she faced scathing remarks that inevitably brought her to tears.
“Anyway, I’ve done many movies back in the day. But I remember, there was a moment. And this human being was being so insecure and angry because this person couldn’t get the scenes out. And I think I was so vulnerable and uncomfortable that I got screamed at. But because this person was Number One on a call sheet, there was no safety net for me. So, no one had my back. And I would cry walking off the set.”
Inspite of this disheartening experience, the ghastly past sparked a fire in Ferguson, stirring her to rise and fight against such demeaning treatment. She recalled the following incident:
“This person would literally look at me in front of the whole crew and say, ‘You call yourself an actor? This is what I have to work with? What is this?’ And I stood there just breaking. This happens. And I remember the next day I walked on, and I said, ‘You get off my set.’ It’s the first time I’ve ever spoken [up], and I remember being so scared. And I looked at this person, and I said, ‘You can f— off. I’m gonna work towards a tennis ball. I never want to see you again.’
Eventually, her strong stand led to discord with the producers who deemed her action against the “Number One” inappropriate. However, the actress stuck to her stand and kept her ground firm.
“And then I remember the producers came up and said, ‘You can’t do this to Number One. We have to let this person be on set.’ And I said, ‘But the person can turn around and I can act into the back [of their] head.’ And I did. And I remember thinking at the time, I was so scared — I feel it now when I’m saying it — but I thought, ‘Oh, it shouldn’t have to be that way.’
Eventually, she sought the director’s support who acknowledged his negligence and pledged to make amends. This marked a turning point in her life, empowering her to stand up for herself and evade such distressing circumstances.
“And I remember going to the director afterwards and saying, ‘What is happening?’ And the director said, ‘You’re right. I am not taking care of everyone else. I’m trying to fluff this person because it’s so unstable.’ And it was great from that moment, but it took so long for me to get to that. But from that moment, I have never let myself get to a point where I’ve gone home, and I’ve [said], ‘What? Why did that happen?’”
Who is the ‘Idiot’ Co-star?
While the audience is intrigued to know about the “idiot” co-star, the talented actress chose not to disclose their identity, demonstrating her high moral ground. Yet, she did not refrain from poking a little fun at host Josh Smith calling that person an “idiot”. She concluded:
And the person… [laughs] And the person is… No. Also, everyone changes. You know what I mean?
The Rock, who had shared the screen with Ferguson in Hercules, shared his reaction on X to her heart-rending account, expressing his eagerness to identify the person responsible.
Wrapping Up
Dune: Part Two is set to hit the theatres on March 1. For a more in-depth understanding of Rebecca Ferguson’s ordeal, you can listen to her complete conversation with Josh Smith in the Reign with Josh Smith podcast. Remember to check out other movie reviews and ratings on HitPlay.
