The franchise might have made over a billion dollars at the box office, but few have gone down so poorly in cinematic history as theFifty Shadestrilogy. In sharp contrast to its glitzy premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, the first installment,Fifty Shades of Grey, was disparaged by critics, winning five Golden Raspberries. But according to anew interview with British GQ, series starJamie Dornan, the lead ofKenneth Branagh’s awards contenderBelfast, doesn’t regret it a bit.
In Dornan’s words:
“Ultimately, no. I mean, I understood the job and the reactions. I was in the running for it for a long time, remember. It wasn’t some split decision I made on a whim. I was beaten to it the first time by Charlie Hunnam and I felt a certain amount of relief when he got it, to be honest. I thought, ‘This would have been fun, but it would have been a strange ride. Better not to be on that ride.’ But he pulled out and then I got a call. And I got it. And there we go. I had to confront that choice again.”
It certainly ended up being quite a strange ride, and the reactions were pretty savage. Pushed further, Dornan added: “Look, put it this way: it’s done no harm to my career to be part of a movie franchise that has made more than $1 billion. Every working actor would say the same thing.” As he reflects later on, it certainly hasn’t hurt his bank account.
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Later on in the interview, Dornan reflected on how the franchise still hangs over him — even withBelfast. “The line in the press is always, ‘It’s the best thing he’s done sinceFifty Shades,'” he said, adding that he was “still paying penance” for the role. WithBelfastbeing such a hit with audiences at TIFF, winning the People’s Choice Award, and prognosticators naming it one of the leading titles for this awards season, maybe that penance has been finally paid.
Belfastfeatures an ensemble cast that also includes newcomerJude Hillas Buddy,Caitriona Balfeas Buddy’s mother,Judi Denchas his grandmother, andCiaràn Hindsas his grandfather. The film is slated for a November 12 release.
