Fifty Shades star visited sex dungeon to prepare for role

Anyone doubting whether Jamie Dornan has fully researched his Fifty Shades of Grey role as BDSM-loving billionaire Christian Grey, think again.

The Northern Irish actor, 32, has described a trip to a sex dungeon where he gained an insight into the kinky fetishes some people enjoy.

"I went there, they offered me a beer and they did... whatever they were into," he told Elle magazine. "I saw a dominant with one of his two submissives. I was like, 'Come on guys I know I'm not paying for this but I am expecting a show'.

"It was an interesting evening. Then going back to my wife and newborn baby afterwards... I had a long shower before touching either of them."

Dornan, known for playing serial killer Paul Spector in The Fall, will star alongside Dakota Johnson in the movie adaptation of Gillian Flynn's bestselling erotic novel.

Last month he revealed that no "gratuitous" full-frontal nudity scenes were shot and confirmed that no, viewers would not be seeing his "todger".

"You want to appeal to as wide an audience as possible without grossing them out," he told The Observer. "You don't want to make something gratuitous and ugly and graphic."

Dornan also insisted that he does not "get turned on" shooting sex scenes. "There are dozens of hairy men standing around, moving cables and lighting equipment. That's not sexy unless you're into being watched, which I'm not."

Some conservative groups have issued statements calling on people to take action against the movie, which they say "normalises domestic violence".

"I think it's very hard to argue that when it is all consensual," argued Dornan. "Half the book is about making contracts. Permission and agreement that this be done. There's no rape, no forced sexual situations."

Fifty Shades of Grey hits cinemas on Valentine's Day 2015.

- Independent