Jamie Dornan leaves Fifty Shades behind for harder hitting roles

Mr Grey won't see you now

It’s the end of an era - the final film in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy is now in post-production. While there may be another book in E.L. James’ Twilight-fanfiction turned billion dollar franchise, both Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan only signed on for three and they’ve run for the hills now that Fifty Shades Freed has wrapped up. Jamie Dornan in particular has left Christian Grey behind in pursuit of more challenging roles and he’s just started filming on his next big project.

The Fifty Shades star has been spotted filming his new HBO movie My Dinner with Hervé in North London, alongside Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage. It’s a massive departure from erotica, as the entire film revolves around Hervé Villechaize - a former James Bond villain - and his final interview with journalist Danny Tate before committing suicide the next day. Jamie will be busting out his dictaphone and notepad to take on the role of the struggling journalist, and it looks to be a deeply emotional film.

Jamie has made no secret of the fact that he’s completely over Mr. Grey, telling The Sun in an interview that, ‘We have done two movies back to back now, and I’m actually finished with it. I’ve done Fifty Shades...forever.’

It seems like he’s struggled with the same type casting issues as Robert Pattinson following the Twilight franchise, which may have prevented people from taking him seriously. The Irish actor revealed, ‘I move on very fast in my mind. As much as from the outside people think you are synonymous with one character, but I’m very much like, ‘Right, that’s done’ and move on to the next project and worry about that character.’

Despite that, it looks like he's going to be heading back into familiar territory in 2018. Way back when, he played The Huntsman in ABC’s Once Upon a Time and strongly implied in an E! Online interview that he was supposed to be Robin Hood, but licensing issues of the character made things difficult. He’ll get another stab at the folk tale next year in an upcoming Robin Hood film as one of the hero’s merry men, Will Scarlet.

Jamie Dornan isn’t the only one to have moved on from the franchise. Dakota Johnson’s been busy starring in films such as How to Be Single and has also just been cast alongside Shia LeBeouf and Bruce Dern in an indie flick called Peanut Butter Falcon. While we’re sad to finally close the door on the Red Room of Pain, it looks like it’s onwards and upwards for the cast.

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.