Jamie Dornan is currently out making the promotional rounds for his new film, Belfast, which is shaping up to be one of the most well-received movies of the year. While Doran is still mostly known for his role in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, which still lights a fire under him to this day, the actor actually could've become famous for a very different role. And as it so happens, he lost that part to another notable star -- Henry Cavill.
Jamie Dornan recently got candid about his latest movie, his career and his future goals in a lengthy profile for The New York Times. The profile reveals some interesting facts about the actor, his relationship to the erotic romance series, and some roles he missed out on. And one of the big roles that got away was actually Superman. The Irish actor apparently auditioned for Man of Steel and lost out to Henry Cavill, who would ultimately play the role in multiple films. While Doran did end up making a name for himself in another way, one can certainly understand why he'd still think about that role.
Casting “what ifs” are always fun, and the fact that he auditioned for Superman is honestly very surprising. There's no indication as to how close he was to actually getting the part, but it would have been interesting to see an alternate reality where he won the role. And though he's yet to play a costumed hero yet, he's still looking to land a role:
It’s like a necessity to deliver and provide, very caveman-esque: I must succeed for these precious little people. Also, since my dad died, it’s lit this extra fire within me, this extra burner of wanting to succeed.
To that point, in the same interview, the star also acknowledged Robert Pattinson, who has transitioned from starring in Twilight to headlining his own superhero movie, 2022's The Batman. The Wild Mountain Thyme star recently admitted to having a bit of jealously when it comes to Pattinson’s rise. Nevertheless, he views the new Bruce Wayne as a friend and is only using the success he's found as a motivator for himself.
The Christian Gray actor doesn’t regret the path he's taken and seems conscious of the fact that he'll always be asked about his role in the romance franchise. And it's hard to find fault with it arguably helped catapult him to where he is now -- starring in a potential Oscar-winning movie. His path has certainly been a unique one and, though he's already very accomplished, it's fair to say that he's just getting started.
As for new Superman movies, they are in development. Henry Cavill's involvement is currently up in the air, though he's enthusiastic about new takes on the character. Who knows, maybe we'll see an alternate version of the character played by Jamie Dornan sometime in the future. And if not, hopefully, we'll get to see him join a different superhero franchise at some point in the future. But until such a thing happens, the underrated star has plenty of other must-see movies and television shows that fans can check out. You can also stream Henry Cavill's Superman performances on HBO Max.
