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Dakota Johnson Playfully Confronts Charlie Hunnam Over Fifty Shades Role
1 Oct
Summary
- Charlie Hunnam turned down the role of Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey
- Hunnam has "never looked back" on his decision, but Dakota Johnson still calls him out on it
- Hunnam's reasons for dropping out included experiencing a "nervous breakdown" and creative differences

In 2025, Charlie Hunnam, the acclaimed actor from the hit TV series Sons of Anarchy, finds himself in the spotlight once again. This time, it's not for his latest acting role, but for a decision he made over a decade ago - turning down the lead role in the Fifty Shades of Grey movie.
Back in 2013, Hunnam was initially confirmed to play the character of Christian Grey, but he ultimately dropped out of the project a month later. Now, over 10 years later, Hunnam's former co-star Dakota Johnson has not forgotten about this missed opportunity. The two actors recently ran into each other, and Johnson couldn't resist playfully calling out Hunnam for skipping the chance to work with her.
Hunnam, however, has "never looked back" on his decision to turn down the role. He has been honest about his reasons, citing personal issues and a "nervous breakdown" due to his heavy TV schedule at the time. Additionally, Hunnam has admitted that he was "totally at odds" with the creative team's vision for the character of Christian Grey, which ultimately led to his departure.
Despite missing out on the cultural phenomenon that was the Fifty Shades franchise, Hunnam's career has continued to thrive. He is set to appear in the 2025 Netflix release "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" and the upcoming Amazon Prime series "Criminals." While Dakota Johnson may still playfully tease him about the role that got away, Hunnam has made it clear that following his instincts was more important than taking on a part that didn't feel right to him.