Nearly a decade after Fifty Shades of Grey made its theatrical debut, Jamie Dornan admits he “hid” amid the film’s ridicule.
During a recent appearance on British radio show Desert Island Discs, Dornan reflected on film. He revealed that director Sam Taylor-Johnson and her husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson offered their home to him, his wife Amelia, and daughter Dulcie when the 2015 film was heavily criticized.
“They let us have their place in the country,” Jamie Dornan recalled. “And we just shut ourselves from the world for a bit and then came out the other side. I was coming off the back of career-altering reviews for The Fall and BAFTA nominations and all of this sort of madness – and then I was brought to just ridicule, almost.”
Although the film achieved 25% on Rotten Tomatoes’ “Tomatometer,” the audience score was significantly higher at 41%. Despite the lackluster ratings, the film scored $569.7 million at the box office. Its sequels, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, were released in 2017 and 2018. Fifty Shades Darker secured 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fifty Shades Freed finished with 11%.
Speaking about having to do the sequels after the first film’s criticism, Jamie Dornan said, “It was a strange thing because then you’re like, ‘Well, there is a bit of ridicule here, yet I’m now contractually doing two more of them’ – knowing there would be more of that damnation to come.”
Although he has been praised for other roles since the film franchise, Dornan admitted he can’t shake Grey. “Even now, when I’ve just had very glowing reviews for recent work, there wouldn’t be many of them that don’t mention Fifty Shades,” he added. “A lot of reviews are like, ‘He’s great, but lest we forget, here’s when he wasn’t great.’ Give us a chance!”
Jamie Dornan Once Said He Was ‘Relieved’ When Charlie Hunnam Was Originally Announced as Star of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’
While speaking to British GQ, Jamie Dornan spoke about Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam was originally picked over him for the Fifty Shades of Grey role.
“Charlie Hunnam got it and that was announced,” he recalled, noting he was relieved. “I was like, ‘F— that’s great, what a f—ing nightmare for that guy ‘cause he’s gonna have all this scrutiny and before anyone’s heard him do anything he’s gonna be really hated and so many people will rage against the casting of it alone.’”
However, when Hunnam eventually dropped out of the project, Jamie Dornan stepped in to fill his place. “He dropped out and then I filled in,” he said. “And felt that wrath of hatred.”
Dornan went on to say that there’s nothing like Fifty Shades in terms of the books. “These books were loved by fandom. Really loved, obsessively loved, and despised by every critic.”
Dornan then said that the production knew that the critics were ready to pounce on the film. “So you’re watching that play out,” he continued. “And at times that’s f—ing difficult.”
Despite all the ridicule of the films, he doesn’t regret taking the role. “That’s how that works. It’s given me so much, so of course I don’t regret it.”