He and his Fifty Shades co-star were accused of having “the chemistry of two mannequins”.
Another reviewer said: “Whips, chains and nipple clips are nothing compared to the torture of watching this movie.”
But Jamie Dornan was prepared for brutal reviews – and almost turned down the role of Christian Grey because he pre-empted the critical savaging.
Admitting he “hesitated” before taking the part that has reportedly earned him £4.5million, he says: “You [have] this incredible opportunity that is going to have a big impact on your life and change many things, mostly financially, but you know it’s going to get panned.”
He tells Jay Rayner’s Out To Lunch podcast, available now: “We knew that because the books were adored by so many... but panned by many, it was probably going to be the same thing for the movies.”
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Jamie, 36, who also reveals he met Game of Thrones producers but lost out on a part, says he treated his Fifty Shades role, alongside Dakota Johnson, like any other acting job “just simulating more sex”.
Calling Christian “gross”, he adds: “I don’t think I’ll ever play a character less like me.”
That includes the serial killer in The Fall, he clarifies.
