As a musician, Dornan performed in the folk band Sons of Jim and contributed to the soundtracks ofFifty Shades Freed (2018),Wild Mountain Thyme (2020), andBarb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
James Peter Maxwell Dornan was born on 1 May 1982[1] inHolywood,County Down, Northern Ireland, and grew up in the suburbs ofBelfast.[2] His mother, Lorna, died of pancreatic cancer when he was 16. His fatherJim Dornan, anobstetrician andgynaecologist who had also considered becoming an actor, died from complications related toCOVID-19 on 15 March 2021.[2][3][4][5] Dornan has echoed his father's support throughout his career, stating: "Some people go their whole lives without being told, 'You've made your parents proud'. My dad would tell me every day."[6]
He attendedTeesside University but dropped out and moved to London in 2002 to train as an actor,[14] but never applied to drama school.[15] He worked in a pub inKnightsbridge for six months until he embarked on his modelling career.[16]
Dornan performed in the folk band Sons of Jim until it disbanded in 2008. He founded the band with his schoolmate David Alexander[17] and formed their own record label Doorstep Records[18] under which they published their songs "Fairytale" and "My Burning Sun".[19] Sons of Jim supported Scottish singer-songwriterKT Tunstall on tour.[20]
After dropping out of university, in 2001 Dornan took part in theChannel 4 reality showModel Behaviour.[21] He was eliminated, but signed a modelling contract withSelect Model Management.[21] Dornan was not keen to pursue modelling as a career, but was persuaded by his sisters.[22] In 2003, he modelled forAbercrombie & Fitch withMalin Åkerman.[23] He then modelled forAquascutum, Hugo Boss, andArmani.[24] In 2005, he became the face of Dior Homme's fragrance advertising campaign.[25] Dornan's first appearance in Calvin Klein's advertising campaign was in 2004 with Russian modelNatalia Vodianova.[26] His later notable works for the brand include the jeans advertising campaigns withKate Moss in 2006[27] and withEva Mendes in 2010.[28] In 2009, he was made the face of Calvin Klein's 'CK Free' fragrance[29] and also appeared as a judge in its model hunt competition,Nine countries, nine men, one winner that year.[30] In 2006, he was labelled "The Golden Torso" byThe New York Times[31][32] and was dubbed the "male Kate Moss" byGQ's creative director Jim Moore.[31]
Dornan also appeared in commercials forDolce & Gabbana,Zara,Banana Republic, andLevi's Jeans. In 2015 he was ranked one of the "25 Biggest Male Models of All Time" byVogue.[33] After his acting breakthrough, he became the new face of "Boss The Scent" for Hugo Boss in 2018[34] and starred in the Fall/Winter Men's Fashion Campaign for Spanish luxury fashion brandLoewe in 2023, also becoming their global brand ambassador the following year.[35][36] During his career, he worked with fashion photographersBruce Weber,[37]Carter Smith,[38] as well as designerHedi Slimane.[37] Dornan never participated in ramp walks because of his unconventional style of walking.[39]
Dornan's first acting role in a film was asCount Axel Fersen in the Sofia Coppola filmMarie Antoinette (2006).[41] Afterwards, he unsuccessfully auditioned for many roles[42] while appearing in filmsBeyond the Rave (2008),[43]Shadows in the Sun (2009).[44] When asked if the transition into an acting career was problematic, Dornan stated that the "model turned actor" label held a significant stigma.[2] He struggled with auditions and casting agents who treated him only as a model,[45] but he had always wanted to act and so, auditioned in thepilot season inLos Angeles.[46] Initially interested incomedy, he had meetings withFunny or Die, wrote a comic blog for them that did not get published, he recalled: "I used to always want to do comedy, and then I just didn't. I ended up quite far away from that path."[47]
Dornan appeared in nine episodes of theABC fantasy television seriesOnce Upon a Time between 2011 and 2013, playing the role of theHuntsman/Sheriff Graham.[48] While Graham was killed by the town's mayor Regina/the Evil Queen in the episode "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter",[49] Dornan confirmed that he would return as the Huntsman from the Enchanted Forest at some point.[50] He returned as the Huntsman for the season finale "A Land Without Magic", and later as Graham for the season two episode "Welcome to Storybrooke" in its flashback segment.[49]
2013–2015: Breakthrough withThe Fall andFifty Shades trilogy
Dornan's breakout role was alongsideGillian Anderson in the Northern Irish drama seriesThe Fall, where he played Paul Spector, a serial killer terrorisingBelfast.[51][52] He initially auditioned for the role of a police officer, but was later called upon to audition for the lead role, for which he was eventually selected.[53] He read books about serial killers and watched interviews ofTed Bundy to get an understanding of the mindset of his character,[54] andstalked a woman in his preparation for the role.[55] He wanted to play the character with "real stillness".[56] Beginning in 2013, the show aired for three series ending in October 2016.[57] CriticKen Tucker opined that Dornan was "handsome and skilled".[58]David Thomson ofThe New Republic complimented him on his performance: "Jamie Dornan as Paul, has become the center of the drama in a performance that unpeels as slowly as a stripper- and maybe as seductively."[59] He won theIrish Film and Television Award for Best Actor in Television[60] and was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor.[40] He has saidThe Fall changed his professional horizons.[61] He later appeared inFlying Home (2014),[62] a romantic drama film andNew Worlds (2015), ahistorical drama series.[63]
In 2013, Dornan was cast as Christian Grey in thefilm adaptation ofFifty Shades of Grey, replacingCharlie Hunnam.[65] The film was released in February 2015, breaking box office records.[66][67] He visited a privatesex dungeon as preparation for playing his sadistic character.[68] He reprised his role in the second and third installments of theFifty Shades film franchise,Fifty Shades Darker (2017),[69] andFifty Shades Freed (2018).[70] Earning approximately $1.32 billion, the franchise becamethe seventh highest-grossing R-rated franchise. Despite being a box office blockbuster, the trilogy was poorly received by critics, with Dornan's performance being critically panned.[71] He later stated that initially he was reluctant about his involvement in the project and knew the franchise would not be treated well by critics.[72] But he has said: "[...] it's given me so much beyond finance-wise, I mean that opportunity to then do the movies [...] movies like that have so much heart and mean so much to me. I would not have been given those opportunities if I hadn't doneFifty Shades."[73]
2016–2021: Transition to independent film roles andBelfast
Dornan then appeared in two comedy films,Wild Mountain Thyme (2020)[99] andBarb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021).[100]Wild Mountain Thyme,John Patrick Shanley's film adaptation of his own playOutside Mullingar, was poorly received and was criticised for accent inaccuracy.[101] Dornan starred as Anthony Reilly, a bashful farmer unable to confess his love for Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt).[102] While criticChristy Lemire praised his dramatic work but was less impressed by his attempt atphysical comedy,[103] Simran Hans ofThe Guardian described his performance as "a commendable feat of comic brilliance, not to be missed".[104] Playing a "lovestruck henchman" Edgar inBarb and Star,[105] he won plaudits from critics for his musical number and comedic turn.[106] Writing forTheWrap,Alonso Duralde addressed his ballad as "a definite highlight" of the film and said: "While it's definitely [Annie] Mumolo and [Kristen] Wiig's show all the way, Dornan winds up being surprisingly capable at holding his own against these two dynamos".[107]
In 2020,The Irish Times listed him at number 32 among the 50 greatest Irish film actors of all time.[108]
"[...] he was a really natural leading man. He is not interested in those usual tics that can make up so many colourful, eye-catching parts."
AfterBelfast, he played the lead role of Elliot Stanley/Eugene Cassidy, anamnesiac trying to learn about his past, inBBCthriller seriesThe Tourist.[118] Debuting onBBC iPlayer in January 2022,[119] it became the most watched drama of that year in the UK.[120] He himself and critics alike found his character challenging.[121][122] In a review forThe Guardian, TV criticLucy Mangan highlighted Dornan's "compelling performance" and found him in "fine form".[123] For his performance he received a nomination for theAACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama[124] and was featured on theRadio Times's TV 100 power list in 2023.[125] He reprised his role in the second series in 2024.[126]
He returned to mainstream cinema in 2023, appearing in Netflix's poorly received action filmHeart of Stone as anMI6 agent Parker, who was theantagonist of the film.[127][128] That year also saw Dornan in his second collaboration with Kenneth Branagh inA Haunting in Venice (Branagh's thirdHercule Poirot film), playing Dr. Leslie Ferrier who was suffering frompost-traumatic stress disorder after serving as a military doctor inWorld War II.[129][130] Compared to its predecessors, the film underperformed at the box office, but received a better critical reception.[131]Helen O'Hara, reviewing the film forEmpire, felt that his character was comparatively small, but said: "Dornan is suitably twitchy as a veteran with PTSD".[132]
In 2024, he was announced the ambassador ofInto Film for Northern Ireland.[133]
In 2025, Dornan starred in the Netflix thriller seriesThe Undertow, portraying a pair of identical twins, Adam and Lee.[134] He is also set to appear in an upcoming Apple TV+ heist thriller titled12 12 12, and is co-writing a feature film in collaboration with long-time colleague Conor MacNeill through their production company, Blackthorn Films.[135]
In addition to his screen work, Dornan continues his role as a brand ambassador for Loewe, and features in a new Diet Coke advertising campaign.[138][139] He also starred in a promotional segment for Callaway Golf Europe’s “On the Course with…” programme.[140]
Dornan has lent his support towards various means and organisations. He was the patron of TinyLife, a Northern Ireland charity for premature and vulnerable babies.[141] In 2017, he participated in a charity football match,Game 4 Grenfell, to provide aid to the victims ofGrenfell Tower fire in West London that year.[142]
In 2018, Dornan became the patron of the newly established charity Northern Ireland Pancreatic Cancer (NIPanC) which was created in partnership with Pancreatic Cancer Action and the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund.[143] Due to busy filming schedule, he quit the role in 2021 but considered himself a strong supporter of it.[144] In 2020, Dornan read a bedtime story as part ofSave with Stories to raise funds forSave the Children's EmergencyCoronavirus Appeal.[145][146] In the same year, he supported theFaster 5K Friday campaign for the Care Workers Charity, which provides financial grants for care workers.[147]
Dornan has appeared in annual fundraising eventsRed Nose Day byComic Relief[148] andChildren in Need byBBC.[149] He has also backed emergency campaigns providing help for children's treatment.[150]
In 2003, Dornan met actressKeira Knightley in anAsprey photoshoot. After being together for two years, they split up in 2005.[151] He met English actress and singer-songwriterAmelia Warner in 2010, becoming engaged to her in 2012, and marrying in 2013.[152] They have three daughters.[153] Dornan is anatheist.[154] In interviews he has said that he considers himselfIrish.[155][156]
He launched his menswear clothing line 'Eleven Eleven' in 2022.[157]
Dornan's most acclaimed films, according to review aggregate siteRotten Tomatoes, includeA Private War (2018),Belfast (2021),My Dinner with Hervé (2018),Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021),Synchronic (2019),A Haunting in Venice (2023),Anthropoid (2016) andThe Siege of Jadotville (2016).[165] His critically lauded television works areThe Tourist (2022–2024),The Fall (2013–2016) andOnce Upon a Time (2011).[165]
^Hoeij, Boyd van (15 June 2014)."'Flying Home': Film Review".The Hollywood Reporter.Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved8 May 2023.
