Irish actor Jamie Dornan began his path to fame with a modeling career: he starred for advertising, participated in photo shoots, was the "face" of famous brands. Film lovers, or rather, the female audience, he became known after the role of the millionaire Christian Gray in the erotic melodrama "Fifty Shades of Gray". And although the film, like the book, can hardly be called a masterpiece, its record box office and commercial success opened the way for Dornan to the world of big cinema.
Biography: early years
James Dornan was born in 1982. He spent his childhood and youth in Northern Ireland, or rather, in the suburbs of Belfast. The actor celebrates his birthday on May 1. Dornan has two older sisters - Lisa and Jessica. His father Jim is a famous obstetrician-gynecologist, professor. Once he also thought about an acting career. Lorna - Jamie's mother - worked as a nurse and was the cousin of the famous British actress Greer Garson.
Since 1993, Dornan has attended Belfast Methodist College. He played on the school rugby team and even then had an enviable physique, which his fans love so much. In addition to sports, Jamie was enthusiastically engaged in a drama club. Teachers and former students of the Methodological College still remember his first roles in school productions, in which the young actor was extremely convincing.
At the age of 15, Dornan suffered severe emotional distress when his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After 18 months, she was gone. A year later, another blow awaited Jamie: two of the teen's best friends were killed in a car accident. In an interview, Jim Dornan recalled how courageously his son behaved in the most difficult moments of his life, despite his young age. Jamie accepted his father's new marriage with dignity - with the gynecologist Samina.
He found an unexpected salvation in music: together with a school friend he organized the group Sons of Jim. Aspiring musicians performed in local pubs, playing folk, acoustic compositions and songs of their own composition. The group existed until 2008 and even toured with Scottish singer Keith Tunsthal.
Dornan graduated from high school in 2000. In his certificate, you can find only three highest marks - in English, art history and classical literature. To continue his education, he entered Teesside University, where he planned to study marketing. Pretty soon, the newly-minted student dropped out to go to London and start a modeling career.
Modeling career
In 2001, Jamie took part in the reality show Model Behavior on the British channel Channel 4. He did not win, but received a contract with the eminent agency Select Model Managament. A modeling career brought Dornan his first success, public attention and solid fees, for which he bought his own home in London. Representatives of the fashion world loved his brooding face with the profile of a Roman senator and his special body proportions, as if created for photographs. Jamie has collaborated with the most famous fashion houses and brands:
- Abercrombie & Fitch;
- Armani;
- Dior Homme;
- Calvin Klein;
- Dolce & Gabanna;
- Zara;
- Hugo Boss;
- Levi's Jeans.
Together with him, models Kate Moss, Lily Aldridge, Malin Ackerman, actresses Eva Mendes, Keira Knightley posed in front of the camera lens. In 2006, the New York Times wrote an article about Dornan entitled "The Golden Torso." Studying the phenomenon of his popularity, journalist Guy Trebay spoke with Jim Moore, creative director of GQ magazine. “In twenty years I have seen perhaps four models that have what Jamie Dornan has … He is the male version of Kate Moss. He brings relaxation to the model's work,”Moore shared his impressions.
Actor career
Successful work as a model helped Dornan to attract the attention of representatives of the film industry. In an interview, he recalled rehearsing with his band Sons of Jim when his English agent called with a casting offer for a small role in Marie Antoinette (2006). The next day, Jamie flew to Paris to audition for director Sofia Coppola. He was approved for the role of Count Axel Fersen - the lover of Marie Antoinette, played by the actress Kirsten Dunst. The debut turned out to be successful, Dornan received praise from film critics, who noted his acting and outstanding appearance.
In 2009, Jamie appeared in the British independent project Shadows in the Sun and starred in a couple of short films. In 2011, the young actor was invited to television in the fantasy series Once Upon a Time. He appeared in nine episodes, playing the Hunter. The next stage in Dornan's career is the main role in the TV series Crash, where his partner was Gillian Anderson, the star of The X-Files. He played the charismatic maniac Paul Spector in 2013-2016 for 17 episodes.
Ian Sommerholder, Alexander Skarsgard, Scott Eastwood, Chase Crawford and other young actors took part in the casting for the screen version of the erotic bestseller "Fifty Shades of Gray". Originally, director Sam Taylor-Johnson cast Englishman Charlie Hunnam for the role of Christian Gray. When he refused, citing a difficult work schedule, Jamie Dornan was invited to the project. This was officially announced on October 23, 2013. The main female role was played by actress Dakota Johnson.
Fifty Shades of Gray premiered on 11 February 2015 at the Berlin International Film Festival. Critics did not skimp on negative reviews, making fun of the dialogues, the script, the interaction of the main characters. The film won five Golden Raspberry Film Awards, including Dornan's Worst Actor and co-star Dakota Johnson's Worst Actress. However, the impressive box office - more than half a billion dollars - showed a clear viewer interest in the relationship between the BDSM amateur millionaire and the innocent student.
In 2017, the sequel to the first part - "Fifty Shades Darker" was released, and in 2018 - the final film of the trilogy "Fifty Shades of Freedom". In all three episodes, Jamie Dornan conscientiously fulfilled his contract, although he complained that he was not too happy to flaunt half of the screen time with a naked torso.
In any case, the role of Christian Gray gave a powerful impetus to Dornan's career. He received the coveted Hollywood pass and intends to make the most of it. In 2018, three new films were released with the participation of the actor:
- “My Dinner with Hervé”;
- "Robin the Hood";
- "Private War".
Personal life
Jamie Dornan has never been deprived of female attention. There were rumors about his affairs with Sienna Miller, Lindsay Lohan, Kate Moss. On the set of an advertisement for a famous jewelry brand, he met actress Keira Knightley. Young people met in 2003-2005.
In 2010, Dornan met the English atrix and singer Amelia Warner. She is also known for her romantic relationship with Colin Farrell. Jamie and Amelia got engaged in 2012 and got married in April 2013. The couple are raising two daughters - Dalsi (2013) and Elva (2016). In early 2019, they are expecting the birth of their third child.
