Last week Universal Pictures announced that it finally found its two leads in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s (Nowhere Boy) adaptation of E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey in Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim) and Dakota Johnson (The Social Network), and now the British actor has spoken about taking on the role of Christian Grey during the season six premiere of FX’s hit series Sons of Anarchy.
“As soon as we got in the room and started reading with Dakota, I knew that I definitely wanted to do it, because there was a tangible chemistry between us,” says Hunnam via The Hollywood Reporter. “It felt kind of exciting and fun and weird and compelling, and so that was it.”
Hunnam then went on to explain his research for the role, as well as his thoughts on realising the book’s explicit material. “I went and read the first book to get a clearer idea of who this character was and felt even more excited about the prospect of bringing him to life. My first job was on a Channel 4 miniseries called Queer as Folk. [There were] incredibly explicit sexual scenes with a man. I mean, I’m 16- and 17-years wiser now. So if I could do it when I was 18 with a guy, I can certainly do it at 33 with a lady.”
Fifty Shades of Grey is set for release on August 1st 2014.
Originally published September 8, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
