Dornan’s biggest fear is being idle
One of the most memorable scenes in “Belfast” is when Jamie Dornan’s character serenades his wife (played by Caitriona Balfe) with “Everlasting Love.” The lighting, choreography and wardrobe makes Dornan look like a matinee idol.
As the film makes the rounds at award shows — its ensemble is nominated at the SAG awards and it’s tied with “West Side Story” with 11 nominations at the Critics’ Choice Awards — Dornan says he has been approached “more than once” by “awards commentator-type pundits” about whether he would perform the song at this year’s Academy Awards, if asked.
“Unless faced with the actual sincere prospect of it, I don’t really know how to answer that,” said Dornan.
“I would be so terrified to have to do something like that. I remember my mate years ago sang at the Oscars, and I said to him at the time, ‘I can’t think of anything worse than what you have to do,’ ” he added, laughing.
It would be a surprising move, but Dornan is intrigued with those who keep people guessing. He counts “Belfast” director Kenneth Branagh as someone who checks that box. Branagh has starred in TV, stage and film and directed films ranging from Shakespeare to “Thor.”
“How cool is his career that everyone sees him as representing something different. I love that, and it’s inspiring,” Dornan said.
Dornan is also enjoying the success of his series “The Tourist,” now airing in the UK and coming later this year to HBO Max. He plays a man who wakes up in an Australia hospital with amnesia and kicks off a twisty race to figure
out who he is and what’s happened.
“The response in the U.K. to that show is insane. It’s so cool because it is sort of a slightly bonkers show, but in the best way. And I just wanted people to be willing to go on the ride with it because it’s very unique in its tone,” he said.
Dornan, who is perhaps best known for his role in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy, credits the 2013 TV series “The Fall,” for changing his career. He said “The Fall,” where he played a serial killer — masked as a grief counselor — has continued to have “bursts of life” thanks to streaming.
“I was shooting ‘Belfast’ in the summer of 2020, and everyone in the crew was talking about ‘The Fall’ on set. And I said, ‘You’re watching ‘The Fall’?’ and I realized it had just been put up on Netflix in the U.K.,” Dornan said.
While “Belfast”
continues to move along the awards circuit, Dornan is reading scripts to figure out his next move. He also co-wrote a film screenplay last year that he hopes to get made in the next year or so.
“My biggest fear is being idle,” he said. “I’m lucky that I’ve been able to do a lot of different stuff, particularly the last few years. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have ideas beyond standing on my mark and saying my lines. I want to do other stuff in that world.”
Feb. 6 birthdays: Actor Mamie Van Doren is 91. Actor Mike Farrell is 83. Journalist Tom Brokaw is 82. Actor Michael Tucker is 77. Actor Robert Townsend is 65. Actor Kathy Najimy is 65. Musician Axl Rose is 60. Singer Rick Astley is 56. Journalist Amy Robach is 49. Actor Anna Diop is 34. Singer Tinashe is 29.