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Fifty Shades of Grey Star Jamie Dornan Wants You to Know He Isn’t Really a Sick Psychopath

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Jamie Dornan may be known for playing sick psychopaths onscreen, but he swears he isn’treally one in real life.

“I consider myself quite lighthearted, pretty easygoing, and I keep playing sick psychopath bastards!” he told U.K.’s The Guardian in a recent interview. “It kinda worries me sometimes how comfortable I am in that zone.”

He credits one of those psychopaths with jump-starting his career: The Fall‘s Paul Spector, a loving father of two who also happens to be a serial killer.

“That show has given me everything,” he said. “It’s a serious bit of f—ing culture and just such a treat to do. I know that every opportunity I get from now on is because of The Fall.”

And then of course, there’s Christian Grey, the BDSM-obsessed billionaire at the heart of Fifty Shades of Grey, which dominated the U.S. box office Valentine’s Day weekend. He understands why the role could seem like a bad career choice, but he doesn’t regret taking it, despite rumors to the contrary.

“I knew with [director] Sam [Taylor-Johnson], and [cinematographer] Seamus McGarvey, the film would be in safe hands,” he said. “And, you know, it does no harm to be in a film that makes half a billion dollars.”

Now, he just has to figure out how to deal with the sometimes embarrassing encounters with fans. Once, Dornan took his 16-month-old daughter Dulcie to a playgroup that was coincidentally held at a cinema showing Fifty Shades. He used his little girl as a mask to cover his face so he could escape.

That doesn’t mean he’s not planning on returning for the hotly anticipatedsequels. “That was always the plan,” he said, referring to whether he’d be back for Fifty Shades 2 and 3.

He hopes to see Taylor-Johnson on board once again as well. “The plan was always for her to do them, so hopefully that will happen,” Dornan said. “But I don’t think it’s going to be imminent.”

Before 50 Shades: Photographs of the S&M Underground

Pandora's Box, The Dungeon. New York City, 1995.Susan Meiselas—Magnum Photos
Pandora's Box, Maid slave, New York City. 1995. Susan Meiselas—Magnum Photos
Pandora's Box, Client lounge. New York City, 1995.Susan Meiselas—Magnum Photos
USA. New York City. 1995. Pandora's Box, Mistress Catherine after the Whipping I, The Versailles Room.Susan Meiselas—Magnum Photos
A dominatrix and her slave in the Dungeon of Belle du Jour, New York City, 1984.Donna Ferrato
Andrew the Rug at Paddles Club, New York City, 1986Donna Ferrato
High Heels, New York City. 2006.Bruce Gilden—Magnum Photos
Sex toys. Amsterdam, 1998.Martin Parr—Magnum Photos
Sex toys. Amsterdam, 1998.Martin Parr—Magnum Photos
Teenage girl wearing a black dominatrix mask. Tokyo, 2000.Martin Parr—Magnum Photos
GB. ENGLAND. London. Women Without Men. A Lesbian wedding in London. The man had apparently insulted one of their number, by falling in love with her and asking her to marry him. He had to be punished.  He would come to the wedding for his wipping and bing his own whips in his flute case (he was a flutist with one of the great orchestras). He was photographed in a bathing cap, childs rubber training pants and a petticoat, bring whipped by the bridal pair after which the girl he loved walked on his belly in stiletto heels. 1965.
A Lesbian wedding in London. The man in the photo had apparently insulted one of the women, by falling in love with her and asking her to marry him. He had to be punished. He would come to the wedding for his wipping and bring his own whips. He was photographed in a bathing cap, childs rubber training pants and a petticoat, being whipped by the bridal pair after which the girl he loved walked on his belly in stiletto heels. London, 1965. Eve Arnold—Magnum Photos
A Lesbian wedding in London a man is photographed in a bathing cap, childs rubber training pants and a petticoat, being whipped by the bridal pair after which the girl he loved walked on his belly in stiletto heels. London, 1965. Eve Arnold—Magnum Photos
Strike Dear Mistress, & Cure His Heart, Hell's Kitchen, New York City, 2013.Victor Cobo
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"Femme Fatale Vixen III" Oakland, CA 2004.Victor Cobo
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"I Could Sleep For A Thousand Years" Oakland, CA 2004.Victor Cobo

This article originally appeared on People.com

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