Charlie Hunnam ‘Never Looked Back’ After Turning Down 50 Shades Of Grey Role, But Dakota Johnson Still Called Him Out More Than 10 Years Later

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Charlie Hunnam was gaining recognition for his role as Jax in Sons of Anarchy. However, the English actor’s career could have taken off even faster if he had accepted a part in Fifty Shades of Grey. Though it’s been over 10 years, Hunnam says he doesn’t regret turning down the role of Christian Grey, but Dakota Johnson playfully reminded him about it.

It’s surprising to learn that Charlie Hunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, a role that eventually went to Jamie Dornan. He was officially confirmed for the part in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s film in September 2013, but he decided to leave the project just a month later.

In an interview with Variety (via ET), the Critics’ Choice Television Award nominee was honest about having “never looked back” after turning down Fifty Shades of Grey (which is streaming on your Netflix subscription). But, he mentioned that his would-have-been co-star Dakota Johnson sure hasn’t forgotten after they ran into each other over a decade later:

She gave me a bit of a hard time about it in a very fun way.

I wonder how Dakota Johnson would have jokingly teased Charlie Hunnam for turning down the role of Christian Grey and missing out on a project with her. Perhaps the Materialists actress would have playfully pointed out all the fun props – like handcuffs and riding crops – he wouldn’t get to use. She could have really highlighted all the enjoyable, slightly naughty moments they could have shared while filming.

Had the Pacific Rim actor taken the lead role in the Fifty Shades of Grey films, his career trajectory might have mirrored the success of Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. However, his decision to withdraw was reasonable. In 2015, Hunnam explained that he wasn’t emotionally prepared for such a significant part, citing personal challenges. Ultimately, he revealed the true reason for leaving Fifty Shades was a period of intense stress and exhaustion caused by the demanding filming schedules of Sons of Anarchy and Crimson Peak.

However, in 2019, Charlie Hunnam discussed having no regrets about leaving Fifty Shades of Grey. The Nicholas Nickleby actor explained he had a very different idea for how to play Christian Grey and strongly disagreed with the filmmakers’ vision. While the CinemaCon Award winner may have missed out on being part of a huge cultural moment, he emphasized that staying true to his own artistic instincts was more important than taking a role he didn’t connect with.

Although Charlie Hunnam claims he doesn’t regret turning down the part of Christian Grey, he’s already achieved success in Hollywood. He’s starring in Monster: The Ed Gein Story, which will be released on Netflix in 2025, and in Amazon Prime’s Criminals. However, Dakota Johnson recently jokingly brought up the significant role he passed on, even after all these years.

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2025-10-01 22:35