Just before VDAY this Feb 13th, Fifty Shades of Grey (the film) is set to dominate theaters, starring new stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.
Celebrating the occasion, the formerly under the radar actors showed their sex appeal in an exclusive for 12 editions of Glamour around the world, photographed by Steven Pan. Adding to the drama we all seem to be craving, Johnson, Dornan, and the film’s director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, open up about everything from landing the hottest roles in Hollywood to the Red Room.
Here are little excerpts of the interview with Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan and Sam Taylor-Johnson:
50 shades of Grey DAKOTA JOHNSON + JAMIE DORNAN fashiondailymag 4
On Chasing the Hottest Roles in Hollywood…
DAKOTA JOHNSON: I had read the books and was drawn to the character of Ana because she’s private, loving, honest—and because she and Christian are both incredibly intelligent, confident, and can spar with each other on every level. I auditioned for two months. I met with Sam a bunch of times. So when I found out I had the part, I think I started crying. I was relieved the not-knowing was over.
SAM TAYLOR-JOHNSON: Dakota was everything that I wanted in Anastasia. She has a strong sense of who she is, but at the same time there’s a sweetness about her. It was tough to find Christian because, on the page, he’s perfect. In real life there aren’t so many people that tick all those boxes: to be able to be charismatic and charming, successful, wealthy, and devastatingly handsome.
JAMIE DORNAN: At first, I didn’t audition. I made a tape in London with a casting director. I didn’t hear anything until they cast Charlie [Hunnam]. I thought it was kind of funny to say that I’d auditioned to play Christian and failed miserably. Then whatever happened with [Charlie] happened, and the doors opened again.
On Becoming Anastasia and Christian…
JAMIE: I had to do a lot of work to get in shape because Christian’s someone who’s very anal about that. But it wasn’t six hours a day. You don’t want to turn to your heavily pregnant wife and say, “I’m going to the gym for six hours. Text me if you go into labor.”
DAKOTA: Jamie and I actually shared a trainer. It was important to me that Ana’s body look like that of an active college student. And I was going be naked, so I wanted to look good. I did a lot of working out and had more waxing than any woman should have!
JAMIE: In that six weeks before filming, my daughter was born. It was just an insane time. For research, one rainy Tuesday evening, I kissed the wife and baby good night and went to watch a dominant-submissive session in a dungeon. The dominant was our sort of adviser on the job. He’d be on hand anytime there was a scene in the Red Room [Christian’s playroom for BDSM, bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism], to say, “You’re doing that wrong.” So I watched him do his thing…. It was quite jovial, a very different approach to how I saw Christian being in the Red Room. I think Christian takes it a bit more seriously.
DAKOTA: I didn’t go to the sex dungeon. I wanted to keep myself distanced from it at first because I wanted Ana’s reaction to certain things to be completely honest and real, like new. But I did do a lot of reading about the culture of BDSM. It’s about the ebb and flow of control between two people. To me, there’s something really honest in wanting to completely give up control for just a second.
On Entering the Red Room…
DAKOTA: The scenes in that room were definitely the most vulnerable scenes in the movie. But it was a very closed set—my mom told me that it’s my right to ask for that during intimate scenes, so it seemed like [Jamie and Sam and I] were in this little world together.
JAMIE: Some of the Red Room stuff was uncomfortable. There were times when Dakota was not wearing much, and I had to do stuff to her that I’d never choose to do to a woman.
DAKOTA: It’s stressful enough to be tied to a bed naked in a scene. But then they call cut, and you’re still tied to the bed, naked. Jamie would be the first one to throw a blanket over me.
JAMIE: I felt very protective and aware that it probably wasn’t easy for her to be put in those situations, and exposed. And Sam, as a director, has an amazing quality of making everyone feel very relaxed.
SAM: We left anything that was emotionally difficult or of a sexual nature until the last few weeks of filming. By that point we had time to get to know each other, to build that trust, which was important to be able to go into the next realm. Those days on set were calm, but you could definitely feel tension.
On Fans, Haters, and the Countdown to Megastardom…
JAMIE: I [already] get, “Oh my God, you’re Christian Grey!” [out in public]. And I say, “No, I’m Jamie! I’m an actor.” When the film comes out, there will probably be more of that. I don’t think you can prepare for that. You can’t put up sandbags, get rations in. I just live my life. I’ve had the same friends since I was a small boy. None of them do what I do or, frankly, give a sh-t about what I do. We just love each other. The one thing I take comfort in is that none of that is going anywhere, no matter what the perception of me is or what happens in my career.
DAKOTA: I’m proud of [the movie]. I completely disagree with people who think Ana’s weak. I think she’s actually stronger than he is. Everything she does is her choice. And if I can be an advocate for women to do what they want with their bodies and not be ashamed of what they want, then I’m all for that. My mom came up for a day [during filming]. She’s proud of me. But I don’t want my family to see [the movie], because it’s inappropriate. Or my brothers’ friends, who I grew up with. I think they’d be like, Blegh [mimics vomiting]. Also there’s part of me that’s like, I don’t want anyone to see this movie. Just kidding.
Fashion Credits:
· On Johnson: Michael Kors dress, ring at top: Spinelli Kilcollin. Other rings: Inez and Vinoodh.
· On Dornan: T by Alexander Wang T-shirt
· On Johnson: Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane dress, La Perla bra. On left hand, rings from left: Eva Fehren (2), Zoe Chicco. On right hand, rings, from top: Melissa Kaye Jewelry. Zoë Chicco.
· On Dornan: Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane shirt. Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci pants and belt. Warby Parker glasses. Lanvin tie.
· On Johnson: Donna Karan New York dress.
· On Dornan: T by Alexander Wang T-shirt. Levi’s Made & Crafted jeans. Will Leather Goods belt.
· On Johnson: Altuzzara top, skirt. On left hand, ring at top: Spinelli Kilcollin. All other rings: Inez and Vinoodh.
· On Dornan: T by Alexander Wang T-shirt. Levi’s Made & Crafted jeans. Will Leather Goods belt.
Glamour’s March issue is on newsstands nationwide on February 10. This marks the largest global deployment of a cover for Condé Nast. All editions including Bulgaria, Germany, Holland/Netherlands, Hungary, Latin America, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, and UK will use images shot by Steven Pan for U.S. Glamour.
