Understanding Charlie Hunnam.
The King Arthur star talks about his crush on David Beckham – and his regret over turning down the role of Christian Grey By LINDSAY DE FREITAS
THE WEIRD KID
Charlie (37) grew up in Newcastle Upon Tyne in England and says he struggled through childhood because he was a bit of a strange kid. “I was constantly preoccupied with trying to understand what it all meant . . . and I’ve grown up into a weird existential adult.”
He got into acting by fluke when he was noticed by a TV producer in a shop one day. Charlie, then 18, was looking for a present for his brother on Christmas Eve when he noticed a woman staring at him. He says he was “a little drunk” at the time.
“So I blew a kiss at her, and she smiled and thought, ‘Who’s this cheeky little bastard?’ ” The woman, who worked on a UK kids’ series called Byker Grove, offered him a role in the show.
NO POOR BOY
When he started landing movie roles, Charlie celebrated his success by spending money on takkies. “That was poor-boy syndrome from not being able to afford the sneakers all the other kids had at school, and then getting to 25 and being like, ‘You know what? I can buy all the sneakers I want!’ ” But those days are over.
“I just feel like a gross, rich, white [guy] with 85 pairs of sneakers, unworn. “So I picked out about six or seven pairs, then gave a few pairs to buddies, and gave the rest to charity.”
50 SHADES OF REGRET
The actor is best known for playing biker Jax Teller in the TV series Sons Of Anarchy – which played a part in him not getting another role he really wanted. He was originally cast as Christian Grey in the 50 Shades Of Grey film franchise but due to scheduling conflicts with Sons Of Anarchy and other film roles he was replaced by Jamie Dornan.
Charlie admits he still hasn’t got over the disappointment. “It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with professionally,” he says. “It’s always painful when you’ve invested in something and then you don’t end up being a part of it.”
ALL HAIL THE KING
In King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword, Charlie plays the title character – a man robbed of his birthright when his father is murdered and who has no inkling of his heritage until he pulls the fabled sword from the stone. Director Guy Richie’s take on the mythological tale is a gritty, action-packed flick with much of the dialogue in Guy’s trademark Cockney accent despite it being set in sixth-century Britain. Charlie says Guy wanted Arthur to be “a contemporary, relatable guy”.
CRUSHING ON BECKS
David Beckham makes a cameo appearance in King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword and it seems the soccer player made quite an impression on the hunky actor. “David asked me my opinion a few times on different bits and bobs,” Charlie says. “I don’t know if it was any help or not, but I was really blown away . . . “I’m not a football man, so I didn’t really have a strong feeling one or way or another. But by the time he left I had a little bit of a crush on him. He was pretty f**king cool.”
DOMESTIC BLISS
Charlie and his girlfriend of 12 years, jewellery designer Morgana McNelis, share a love of the simple life. “I don’t jive it up with the Hollywood crowd. None of that interests me. My girlfriend and I bought a ranch – we’ve got 30 chickens and a couple of donkeys, a couple of ducks and we’ve got a big, organic garden. We’re trying to live a bit more sustainably.” King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword is in South African cinemas now.