"Everyone involved worked as hard as they could on those films, including myself."

Jamie Dornan has spoken out against the Fifty Shades of Grey film franchise being perceived as a “bit of a joke". The actor played billionaire Christian Grey alongside Dakota Johnson, who starred as Anastasia Steele in the film trilogy adapted from the novels of author E.L James. Speaking to GQ magazine, the actor said he spent some time weighing up whether or not he should take the role but that it was worth it in the end. "Look, put it this way: it’s done no harm to my career to be part of a movie franchise that has made more than one billion dollars," he said. "Every working actor would say the same thing. It’s provided – a lot. "There’s no shame in saying it’s transformed my life and my family’s life financially. I am very, very grateful for this and always will be. And the fans loved it." Referring to a critic who was not impressed with the film, he went on to say: "I take issue with the whole thing being just a bit of a joke. Everyone involved worked as hard as they could on those films, including myself." The film franchise made over a billion dollars at the box office, with the first book in the series, Fifty Shades Of Grey, breaking sales records following the initial film's release.

Before his acting career exploded, Jamie worked as a model appearing in Calvin Klein adverts alongside supermodels Kate Moss and Eva Mendes. But despite his obvious good looks, the star is not at all vain, revealing he hated having his picture taken and did not enjoy the world of modelling.

 “And I still don’t like having my photograph taken", he told GQ. "I find it odd. I find it an unnatural thing to happen. It’s not fun to be told continually to move your head about like it is on a swivel.

“I struggled with, let’s say, the energy. There’s too much vanity and it just feels douche-y as f**k. Too much nonsense.

"Whenever I went on a date or met a girl in a pub or whatever, I’d say I was a landscape gardener or worked for Google – anything but admit to having my photograph taken for a living.”

Jamie's upcoming film Belfast will hit cinemas nationwide on 25 February 2022.