Charlie Hunnam Went Against ‘Everything I Believed I Was’ Because of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’
Charlie Hunnam had a widely known stressful experience with the film Fifty Shades of Grey. The actor was close to signing onto the project when circumstances prevented him from committing to the popular franchise.
Even a couple of years after the debacle, Hunnam still considered it one of the most terrifying ordeals he’d been through.
Charlie Hunnam knew he wanted to do ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ after experiencing chemistry with Dakota Johnson
In the beginning, Hunnam was more than excited about being the co-lead of Fifty Shades of Grey. The source material of the same name written by E.L. James had already proven to be a global success. If the novel’s popularity was any indication, there was faith the films would follow the book’s enormous footsteps.
The Sons of Anarchy star met with director Sam Taylor-Johnson after he was tapped to play the role. Hunnam was intrigued, but still wasn’t completely sold on the role until he screened with who would’ve been his co-star Dakota Johnson.
“We both suggested I do a reading with Dakota, who was her favorite. As soon as we got in the room, I knew that I definitely wanted to do it,” Hunnam once said according to People. “There’s just a tangible chemistry between us. It felt exciting and fun and weird and compelling.”
Charlie Hunnam went against ‘everything I believed I was’ for ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ role
As was widely reported, Hunnam ended up changing his mind about committing to the project. He expressed great remorse over how he handled departing the film, especially after bonding with the cast and crew. He’d also formed a connection with his Fifty Shades character, who he once couldn’t wait to explore.
“Sam and I just fell in love, creatively,” Hunnam recalled to Us Weekly. “We started talking about this thing and I just felt so excited. I fell in love with the character and started seeing him and becoming intoxicated, which is the way I work: I find a character I love and I start thinking about it all the time.”
But when it came time to film, Hunnam asserted that the pressure and expectations of the project overwhelmed him.
“I was going to finish [filming] Sons at like 11 p.m. Friday night, get on the plane Saturday morning to Vancouver for Fifty, missing the whole first week of rehearsal and start shooting Monday morning,” Hunnam said. “And I was going to shoot that film, wrap that on the Wednesday and the following Monday I was going to start shooting Crimson Peak in Toronto. I just had like … frankly, something of a nervous breakdown.”
Hunnam both personally and professionally recovered nicely from his breakdown over the years. But he admitted the experience was still one of the most terrifying periods of his life.
“I was going against everything I believed I was,” he once told Women’s Health (via Film News). “I’ve never been in a situation like that, where I’d bitten off more that I could chew. I was scared there would be negative repercussions.”
What Charlie Hunnam thought of Jamie Dornan replacing him
Actor Jamie Dornan would later pick up the role after Hunnam left the project. Despite Hunnam’s feelings towards missing out on the role, he was optimistic about Dornan’s turn as the character. Although he admitted he knew very little about his replacement.
“I’m sure he’ll do a great job,” he once told TMZ. “I don’t really know his work, but I know Sam [Taylor-Johnson], the director, is amazing. She has fantastic taste, so I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”
