Jamie Dornan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jamie Dornan
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Dornan in 2013
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James Peter Maxwell Dornan
1 May 1982 Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland
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| Education |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Amelia Warner
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 3 |
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| Awards | Full list |
James Peter Maxwell Dornan (born 1 May 1982) is a famous actor, model, and musician from Northern Ireland. He has won two Irish Film and Television Awards. He has also been nominated for a BAFTA Television Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 2020, The Irish Times newspaper called him one of Ireland's best film actors.
Jamie started his career as a model in 2001. He worked for big brands like Hugo Boss, Dior Homme, and Calvin Klein. The New York Times even called him "the Golden Torso." In 2015, Vogue magazine listed him as one of the "25 Biggest Male Models of All Time." Before acting, he also played music in a folk band called Sons of Jim until 2008.
His first acting role was in the 2006 film Marie Antoinette. He then had smaller roles in different movies and TV shows. He became well-known for playing Sheriff Graham Humbert in Once Upon a Time (2011–2013). He earned great praise for his role as Paul Spector in the crime drama The Fall (2013–2016). For this, he was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. Jamie also played Christian Grey in the popular Fifty Shades film series (2015–2018). Later, he starred as Jan Kubiš in Anthropoid (2016) and Edgar Pagét in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021). He received a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Pa in Belfast (2021). From 2022 to 2024, he played the main character, Elliot Stanley, in the thriller series The Tourist.
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Early life and education
Jamie Dornan was born in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland. He grew up near Belfast. His mother, Lorna, passed away when he was 16. His father, Jim Dornan, was a doctor who also thought about becoming an actor. He passed away in 2021.
Jamie has two older sisters. Liesa works for Disney in London. Jessica is a fashion designer in England. His grandparents on both sides were Methodist lay preachers.
He went to Methodist College Belfast, where he lived at the school. He played rugby and was active in the drama club. In school plays, he acted in a Christmas Pantomime and played Widow Twanky, which won him his first drama award. He also played roles in Bugsy Malone and Blood Brothers. He was part of a youth drama group called Holywood Players. From age twelve, he acted in local plays by Anton Chekhov.
Jamie went to Teesside University but left in 2002 to move to London. He wanted to become an actor but never went to drama school. For six months, he worked in a pub in Knightsbridge. He said this was a tough time and he faced money problems.
Career beginnings
Music career
Jamie Dornan was part of a folk band called Sons of Jim until 2008. He started the band with his school friend, David Alexander. They created their own record label, Doorstep Records. They released songs like "Fairytale" and "My Burning Sun." Sons of Jim even toured with Scottish singer KT Tunstall.
Modelling career
After leaving university, Jamie took part in a TV reality show called Model Behaviour in 2001. He didn't win, but he signed a modelling contract with Select Model Management. Jamie wasn't sure about modelling at first, but his sisters encouraged him.
In 2003, he modelled for Abercrombie & Fitch. He then worked for Aquascutum, Hugo Boss, and Armani. In 2005, he became the face of Dior Homme's perfume ads. Jamie first appeared in Calvin Klein ads in 2004. Later, he worked with famous models like Kate Moss (2006) and Eva Mendes (2010) for Calvin Klein jeans. In 2009, he became the face of Calvin Klein's 'CK Free' perfume.
In 2006, The New York Times called him "The Golden Torso." GQ's creative director, Jim Moore, even called him the "male Kate Moss." Jamie also appeared in commercials for Dolce & Gabbana, Zara, Banana Republic, and Levi's Jeans. In 2015, Vogue magazine named him one of the "25 Biggest Male Models of All Time."
After he became a successful actor, he continued modelling. In 2018, he became the new face of "Boss The Scent" for Hugo Boss. In 2023, he starred in a fashion campaign for Loewe, a Spanish luxury brand. He became their global ambassador the next year. Jamie worked with famous photographers like Bruce Weber and Hedi Slimane. He never did runway shows because of his unique way of walking.
Acting career highlights
Early acting roles (2006–2012)
It was not easy for Jamie to start acting because people often saw him as "just a model." But he always wanted to act and worked hard to prove himself. His first film role was as Count Axel Fersen in Marie Antoinette (2006). He also appeared in the drama film Shadows in the Sun (2009). In 2008, he played the main role of Ed in Beyond the Rave.
Jamie became more recognized when he appeared in the ABC TV series Once Upon a Time from 2011 to 2013. He played the Huntsman and Sheriff Graham. Even though his character was killed off, he returned for later episodes. Critics praised his performance in the show.
Breakthrough roles (2013–2015)
Jamie received great praise for his role as Paul Spector in the Northern Irish drama series The Fall. He starred alongside Gillian Anderson. The show started in 2013 and ended in 2016. Critics loved his performance. Jamie won his first Irish Film and Television Award for Best Actor in Television. He was also nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. In 2014, Jamie played Abe Goffe in the historical drama New Worlds.
In 2013, Jamie was chosen to play Christian Grey in the film Fifty Shades of Grey. The movie was released in 2015. He played the role again in the next two films of the series, Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018). The film series made a lot of money, earning about $1.32 billion worldwide. However, critics did not like the movies very much, and Jamie said he felt sad about the reviews.
In 2014, it was announced that Jamie would play Dr. Allan Pascal in The 9th Life of Louis Drax, a supernatural thriller film. It was released in 2016.
Independent films and Belfast (2016–2021)
In 2016, Jamie starred as Commandant Pat Quinlan in the Netflix war film The Siege of Jadotville. He trained in South Africa for the role. The film received mixed reviews, but critics noted Jamie's "suave acting." He was nominated for an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Actor − Film.
His second film that year was Anthropoid, another war film. He played Jan Kubiš, a Czech soldier involved in a famous assassination. Critics felt he did a good job. He was nominated for a British Independent Film Award for this role.
In 2018, Jamie co-starred with Peter Dinklage in the HBO TV film My Dinner with Hervé. He played a journalist named Danny Tate. Critics praised his performance. That same year, Jamie played photojournalist Paul Conroy in the biographical drama A Private War. Critics called his performance "excellent." He also appeared in Robin Hood, Death and Nightingales, and Untogether.
In 2019, Jamie starred as a paramedic in the science fiction thriller Synchronic. The film received good reviews. He also played an Irish writer named Jack in the romantic drama Endings, Beginnings.
Jamie then appeared in two comedy films: Wild Mountain Thyme (2020) and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021). Wild Mountain Thyme received poor reviews, but Jamie's acting was sometimes praised. In Barb and Star, he played a "lovestruck henchman" named Edgar. Critics loved his musical performance and comedic skills.
In 2020, The Irish Times listed Jamie Dornan as number 32 among the 50 greatest Irish film actors of all time.
In 2021, Jamie played a working class father in Kenneth Branagh's drama film Belfast. His character was based on Branagh's own father. Jamie's performance received great praise. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film was also nominated for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards.
Recent work (2022–present)
After Belfast, Jamie played the main role of Elliot Stanley in the BBC thriller series The Tourist. Elliot is a man who has lost his memory and tries to find out about his past. The show became the most watched drama in the UK in 2022. Jamie and critics found his character challenging but compelling. He was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama. He returned for the second series in 2024.
In 2023, he appeared in the action film Heart of Stone on Netflix, playing an MI6 agent. That same year, he worked with Kenneth Branagh again in A Haunting in Venice. He played Dr. Leslie Ferrier, a military doctor with post-traumatic stress disorder. Critics felt his character was small but well-acted.
In 2024, Jamie was named an ambassador for Into Film in Northern Ireland, an organization that helps young people learn about film.
Charitable work
Jamie Dornan supports many different charities and groups. He was a patron for TinyLife, a Northern Ireland charity for premature babies. In 2017, he played in a charity football match called Game 4 Grenfell to help victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in London.
In 2018, Jamie became a patron of Northern Ireland Pancreatic Cancer (NIPanC). This charity works with other groups to help people with pancreatic cancer. He left the role in 2021 due to his busy filming schedule, but he still strongly supports the charity. In 2020, Jamie read a bedtime story as part of "Save with Stories" to raise money for Save the Children's Coronavirus Appeal. He also supported the "Faster 5K Friday" campaign for the Care Workers Charity, which helps care workers financially.
Jamie has appeared in annual fundraising events like Red Nose Day by Comic Relief and Children in Need by BBC. He also supports campaigns that help children get medical treatment.
Personal life and other ventures
Jamie Dornan met English actress and singer-songwriter Amelia Warner in 2010. They got engaged in 2012 and married in 2013. They have three daughters. Jamie is an atheist. He has said in interviews that he considers himself Irish.
In 2022, he launched his own menswear clothing line called 'Eleven Eleven'.
Amateur golf
Jamie Dornan enjoys playing golf as an amateur. He has competed in the pro–am event at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship several times, playing with professional golfers. He also took part in the 2017 Irish Open and the J. P. McManus Pro-Am in 2022.
Acting credits and awards
Some of Jamie Dornan's most praised films include A 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), and The Siege of Jadotville (2016). His highly-rated TV shows are The Tourist (2022–2024), The Fall (2013–2016), and Once Upon a Time (2011).
Jamie has won two Irish Film and Television Awards, a Broadcasting Press Guild Award, and a People's Choice Award. He has been nominated for a British Academy Television Award and a Golden Globe Award.
In 2023, Jamie received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Queens University Belfast.
Images for kids
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Jamie Dornan in 2013
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Jamie Dornan at the 2014 British Academy Television Awards
See also
In Spanish: Jamie Dornan para niños
