Dornan depicts the toll of ‘War’
“A Private War” rates as a brutal, unflinching look at war and its attendant dangers for journalists as it tells the true, tragic story of Marie Colvin.
An American honored for her courageous reporting for London’s Sunday Times, Colvin was targeted alongside a group of civilians and killed in 2012 in Syria.
Rosamund Pike (“Gone Girl”) stars as Colvin and Jamie Dornan is combat photographer Paul Conroy, who nearly died with Colvin.
“Paul was very involved in the making of this,” Ireland’s Dornan, 36, said from London. “We had the good fortune of having him with us for the entire shoot as an adviser and our stills photographer on the set.
“He was a valuable resource and I’ve become very close with him in real life and that’s something.”
How intimidating was it to have this hero there while playing him?
“It wasn’t like that. We had an understanding early on. Twice I asked him not to be on the set,” Dornan said.
“Day one — you’re always nervous and I didn’t want him there with headphones while I’m trying to do his accent. Then at the end of our time with Marie dying and Paul nearly dying, emotionally that was so tough. I could see it was tough on Paul and said, ‘You don’t need to be here.’ ”
After playing a serial killer in “The Fall” and sadistic Christian Grey in the “50 Shades” trilogy, is Dornan making amends, going to the good side?
“It’s funny, I feel very privileged for this moment in my career. ... You’re just telling stories that speak to you — and this, it so happens, is one of them.”
(“A Private War” opens Friday.)