Charlie Hunnam: ‘Crimson Peak’ and ‘SoA' Killed Christian Grey ‘50 Shades’ Casting

Charlie Hunnam is best known to fans as Jax Teller in the FX series Sons of Anarchy, but the actor was just a hair away from playing another pop culture icon. Hunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey in the hit film Fifty Shades of Grey. However, his commitments to Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak and the last season of SoA killed the deal. The role ultimately went to Jamie Dornan. Now, Hunnam is opening up about the 50 Shades of heartbreak that he went through we had to turn down the role.

Charlie Hunnam recently sat down with E! where he opened up about dropping out of Fifty Shades of Grey, telling the publication:

"Oh, it was the worst professional experience of my life. It was the most emotionally destructive and difficult thing that I've ever had to deal with professionally. It was heartbreaking."

It was Hunnam’s previous commitment to Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak

"I'd given Guillermo my word, over a year before, that I was going to do this film. People were saying, 'Are you crazy? Guillermo still has got four months to recast, it's the fourth lead, you can go and do this [instead].' I said, 'I can't. He's my friend, I've done a film with him, I gave him my word.' I'm pretty mercurial and a very difficult, long-winded decision-maker at the best of times. It was deeply unpleasant and challenging emotionally. I really, really pride myself on being a professional and a man of keeping my word. It means a lot to me, truly."

Hunnam also spoke about having an emotional breakdown when he had to director Sam Taylor-Johnson the news:

"I called her and we both cried our eyes out on the phone for 20 minutes. I needed to tell her that this was not going to work. I was going to finish Sons, shoot the whole sequence where Tara was brutally murdered, fly to Vancouver the next day, have 10 days of rehearsal, and then start shooting. Then I was going to have three days after that and I'd have to start shooting Crimson Peak and then I'd have two days to travel and go back into season seven of Sons.”

What do you think? Do you think Hunnam made the right decision? Would you like to see the Son’s star play Christian Grey? Are you excited for Crimson Peak? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the page.