Jamie Dornan: ‘If I meet a male model now, I presume he’s stupid’

'Fifty Shades Freed' Paris premiere - Arrivals

Here are some photos from the Paris premiere of Fifty Shades Freed, which will hopefully be the last entry of this series. You never know though – E.L. James wrote the books as a trilogy, then she wrote Grey, a retelling of the same story from Christian Grey’s perspective. My point? They could draw this out for a lot longer to get more money. But for now, this is the last of these terrible films. Fifty Shades Freed comes out today, which is a fact that surprises me – obviously, I pay attention to which films are premiering and which actors are on promotional trails, and let me tell you… Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan really haven’t done a big promotional push at all. They’re both over it. Oh, in these photos, Dakota is wearing Prada.

Jamie sat down with Elle Magazine to chat about the film. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:

On his FSOG modesty pouch: “Let me tell you a modesty-pouch story. You’re sort of presented with a few options and sizes. They’re all skin-colored—but, like, if you’d gotten jaundice. That color. Like an ill person. I picked one out. Everyone had left the room. As I was putting it on, I saw a little label stitched inside. It said, “inmate #3.” I very nearly puked. As my genitals came to a rest at the bottom of this thing, I thought, Someone has worn this. I actually called the wardrobe assistant. I was like, “Dude, what the f–k? This is secondhand?” He said, “No, trust me.” But he lost my trust.

His early days as a male model: “I genuinely believe Zoolander isn’t that far off from some of those dudes. If I meet a male model now, I presume he’s stupid. A lot of them are. I used to get offended. If people knew you were a model, they’d start talking slightly slower, like you literally were the third guy along in Darwin’s evolution of man. But I’m not ungrateful. I was in my twenties, and I was getting paid to lean against walls and look like I wanted to hit people.

Whether there was ever a time that someone crossed a line when he was a model: “Yeah, dude. F–k. Early on? F–k. You’d be sent to these dodgy little apartments around London. “Oh, this up-and-coming photographer wants to meet you and take a couple of Polaroids. It’ll be really good for your portfolio.” I remember one guy—I don’t know his name—he was like, “Let’s take some pictures.” Yeah, okay. Fine. Then he goes, “Take off your trousers.” I said, “Look, I kinda want to leave.” I was getting dressed. He kept coming in, acting like he’d left something in the room. There was nothing in that room except for a chair. Then he stopped me at the door, and—I’ll never forget this—he said he was going to make spaghetti Bolognese for us and open a bottle of wine. I called my agent and said, “Don’t ever f–king send me to one of these creepy bastards again.”

[From Elle]

“If I meet a male model now, I presume he’s stupid. A lot of them are.” That’s pretty harsh. But is it true? Granted, I don’t have much experience with male models, but I would imagine they are probably on par with actors as far as intelligence goes? There’s a superficiality that goes along with both careers, because you have to care about how you look and keeping fit, so you spend a lot of time worrying about diet and exercise and skincare and all of that. But it doesn’t follow that superficiality = stupidity. Basically, I think Jamie is just desperate to separate himself from his “Golden Torso” days because NOW he’s a serious actor.

'Fifty Shades Freed' Paris Premiere - Arrivals

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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65 Responses to “Jamie Dornan: ‘If I meet a male model now, I presume he’s stupid’”

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  1. LilLil says:

    He was so funny on Graham Norton.

    And I don’t think caring about diet or skincare makes you autimatically superficial.

    • SilverUnicorn says:

      No, it doesn’t.
      However, in my uni days I remember I was a total wreck physically and aesthetically speaking. I was unkempt, my hair only washed (literally didn’t go to a hairdresser for years), short nails, never time to put a good moisturiser on, etc. After graduating I had people telling me I looked 10 years younger than I looked 6 months before… I went on a diet, started exercising regularly and stopped eating snacks at all hours.

      Taking care of yourself needs time.
      So I think that the article meant that many care about their appearance so much that some stuff is obviously left behind.

    • perplexed says:

      I don’t think for the general population it makes you superficial.

      But if you have to devote your life to it in order to be financially rewarded, I think it can make people care less about other things. Case in point: Cindy Crawford. She was valedictorian of her high school and got a scholarship to study chemical engineering at Northwestern. She had the potential to be an intellect of some sort. But all of her devotion to her looks has made her kind of…..bland? ( I think she’s smart at business. I just think that personality-wise she is boring. Then again, maybe nobody expects her to be interesting — just look good).

  2. trollontheloose says:

    14% at RT.. 14% too many and the reviews are horrid. But true be told I never watched nor read any of these shades. just Like twilight.. i’m so snob I trust my instinct and want to keep it intact. And Snob.

    • LilLil says:

      These films are great to go with a girlfriend and laugh your ass of.

      • magnoliarose says:

        I was at my parent’s house staying over with the kids once when my husband was out of town. We stayed up late chatting and we decided to watch TV and the first and second one were on back to back. We laughed so hard we still refer to these terrible movies.
        These things are terrible but funny. A couple of glasses of wine helps.

    • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

      I’m with ya. I actually tried to read the first book when its salaciouness was sweeping up women far and wide but I couldn’t make it past the second page. Seriously. It read like a child wrote it so I know absolutely nothing about the storyline or the movies that followed.

      • Cannibell says:

        The closest I ever got was the Gilbert Gottfried audio book version. Which was hilarious and enough.

      • ichsi says:

        Saying that it reads like a child wrote it is kinda insulting towards the 14-year olds who post better pr0n on AO3, no? 😉😉
        Seriously though, these books are the worst and they deserve NONE of the fame they got. I won’t even see this to laugh, since I find it very depressing that this got so successful and it will never see a cent from me.

  3. mia girl says:

    I worked in a casting agency for a stint and generalizing, Dornan is kinda right. Most of the male models that came through were not the brightest bulbs.

    Just saw him on Graham Norton episode with Helen Mirren and Liam Neeson. I thought Dornan was pretty charming and not at all self-important. And he really is good looking isn’t he?

    • Jayna says:

      OMG, I just posted about that appearance with Helen and LIam down below. I posted part of the show about the pouch. Jamie is so funny and, like you said, charming. I love him. He was handsome on the show. Wasn’t it funny how he and Liam had on exactly, and I mean exactly, the same outfit?

      Well, nevermind. They deleted my post farther down. Why I have no clue. The clip of Jamie was adorable I posted with him telling the pouch story.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      I can kinda agree with that but the same can be said for both genders. I used to organise shoots for a large well known publisher and met a mix of models – some were dumb as rocks and had masters degree’s in engineering.

    • Kitten says:

      I normally don’t care for him but this interview made me laugh. Except for the gross predatory behavior he described-that’s funny.

    • magnoliarose says:

      He is hilarious. I hope he does have a career after this. He was outstanding in the show with Gillian Anderson about the serial killer.

      • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

        Yes! I love The Fall. Are there more seasons coming? Gillian was delicious in that role… hell she made ME uncomfortable!

      • magnoliarose says:

        They said maybe if they can come up with a decent storyline. I hope they do it like Prime Suspect with good story arcs every few years or so.

  4. V4Real says:

    I laughed through the first Shade when I watched it on streaming. Couldn’t bring myself to continue the trilogy, maybe if Colin Farrell was playing Grey. Jamie just looks to innocent and dorky and not believable. But he does look good with a beard.

    • lucy2 says:

      I fell asleep during it, at least once if not twice. It was free on HBO so I watched planning to laugh at it, but it was so boring I couldn’t even do that.

  5. WMGDtoo says:

    “If I meet a male model not I presume he’s stupid”….

    there would be such OUTRAGE if he or anyone said that about a woman.

    • WTF says:

      I don’t think so. Not if it was a woman, that was herself a former model.

    • magnoliarose says:

      It is a stereotype with some truth to it sad to say. I wouldn’t say models are dumber than the average people. I have met some very stupid men who work on Wall Street for instance. Uncouth and don’t read or have any interests outside of making money. Women too but it is a male-dominated world.
      The problem with a career like modeling is that you start young and it is up to the person to be motivated enough to continue to learn. A friend of mine ended up retiring and went to an Ivy league school after making millions over her career. She fell into it, never loved it and went on with her life. One of my best guy friends is a gorgeous male model and is intelligent, he was in college when he was discovered, but I bullied him to keep going to school, even online because there is a danger in becoming two dimensional and empty. Another now has a thriving career as an actress and is not stupid.
      Here on Celebitchy, we see how empty models and entertainers can become. They become destructive, depressed, mean, arrogant, desperate, pathetic, insufferable all because they put too much self-worth in superficial things and got nothing of substance in return.
      However, because they look good and are making a lot of money the inspiration to become intellectuals is low. “Hey, I am making boatloads of money, so I don’t need to be educated.”
      I have met dumb as dirt athletes. Politicians. Nurses. Teachers. Entertainers. Doctors. But their jobs use their minds, so they are good at least that. Athletes start young too and fall into the same trap.
      I have met brilliant people from all walks of life. But it isn’t their jobs that make them that way. It is their curiosity and love of knowledge for the sake of it.
      Then there are also different kinds of intelligence that are harder to measure. That is another whole subject though.

      I have had people surprised I know what I know or that I have my degree or that I read what I read. I have had people talk to me straight off like I am 8 years old. Or worse, usually, men, act like something I said that was insightful was just a cute little thing I MUST have heard from someone else. I used to have a chip on my shoulder about it and overcompensate. I am not stupid. Never have been stupid. But I can’t control other people’s biases or generalizations.

      I just have to say though. I have met some dumb ass models, and I used to think surely there is more in there. I would probe and try to find some depth but NOPE. Nobody is home.

      • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

        That’s the trap with generalizations. Sure. There are stupid people everywhere and in every walk of life. And then there’s the many levels of stupidity. And then there’s academic stupidity vs common sense stupidity. I know people that fall across all these lines. Generally speaking, yes, models, jocks, etc. carry on the ‘blank’ notion quite well without any outside help lol. I also know medical practitioners who are completely void of common sense as their genius requires so much focus! Makes me laugh to think about some of the things they’ve said. I guess the bottom line is that if you’re not interested or compelled to nourish your brain, don’t get your panties in a wad if you get grouped with echo chambers.

      • magnoliarose says:

        It is so true Mabs.
        If a person wants to be intelligent and learn they do it. It is a priority. If not then they don’t.

  6. Frida_K says:

    Re: male models.

    I dated a Versace model many years ago. He was so unbelievable looking that people would literally stop in their tracks and stare at him he walked down the street. He was gorgeous. Honestly, though, he was not smart at all. Nice guy, and he really liked me a lot, but I couldn’t take him seriously because there were no brains inside that spectacular cranium. I can’t get horny for dumb guys. I just can’t. So this relationship went nowhere fast, even though he was sweet and very eager to be with me. I fooled around with another model after that, also really good-looking but not quite as unbelievably gorgeous as the first one, and he was bright enough but not educated and not interested in learning. So he was limited too.

    Eh.

    That’s my history with male models.

    • Erinn says:

      I feel like when someone is ridiculously stunning – they don’t often HAVE to be much more than that. Or someone who is insanely smart doesn’t necessarily have to be nice or good looking. If you’re phenomenal at something people kind of just don’t expect much more than that.

      I’m fine with incredibly pretty people who are dumb but well meaning. But I don’t think I could handle that long term. It’s the people who are insanely good looking and are jerks that are the absolute worst.

      • Jeannie says:

        Agreed, erinn, the bar is set lower for people who are spectacular at one thing.

        There should be one rule: don’t be a dick in life.

      • Brian says:

        You hit the nail on the head Erinn. It’s often a matter of how other people go out of their way to make life easier for them because they are so pleasing to look at. The better you look the better you are treated and often the less you have to work at developing an introspective self.

  7. Pedro45 says:

    Wait. When he was a model he used to get offended if people thought he was stupid but now he assumes the same thing? WTF?

    • Milla says:

      He’s an arse.

      He plays some sick billionaire naked. Why judge male models or anyone at all? He’s not really Al Pacino. Or Denzel. Or Andy Garcia. He’s that dude from 50 shades of whatever

      • Peeking in says:

        To me, he’s from The Fall, and he’s brilliant in it. He has a lot of range, and should never taken this role.

      • magnoliarose says:

        Yes Peeking.
        The Fall was very good. I like him. He just played in a trilogy of stupid ass movies.

  8. deets says:

    Im not like those other girls… oh wait, boys, oh wait, male models.

    He’s very pretty but I don’t think I’ve ever read an interview where he isn’t putting someone or something down.

  9. QueenB says:

    I mean if you are that good looking pretty much everything in life falls into your lap so its not hard to see why they are dumb. Most people only do things when they need to do them. If you are a model you dont need to be smart, you dont need an education. You make more money than a surgeon.

  10. Red says:

    I like Jaime so maybe I’m biased. I would assume most models-male and female-aren’t that bright. Not because they’re good looking, but a lot of them start when they’re so young. Most of us are still in school while they’ve been working for years. A lot of them just want that fame, and therefore have not exactly pushed themselves into learning. Think Kendull Jenner. I feel the same about actors but at least they have some sort of responsibility to educate themselves because of press and interviews.

  11. Willow says:

    Insecure (and dumb) people talk like this and put down others to make themselves appear better. Less trashing people and more concern about having a career this time next year.

    • Jayna says:

      I don’t know. It might come across differently in print. Jamie is so funny in person when he says things, it might come off totally differently in the way he said it than in print. He is so sweet and funny and pokes absolute fun at himself and his dorkiness any chance he gets. He really doesn’t have an ego like most good-looking actors.

      • Willow says:

        I don’t need a defensive fan to explain this to me. This would be like Julianne Moore trashing soaps and soap actors, which she has never done because she has class and knows it was her launching pad to bigger and better things. And you better believe he wants to be taken as a serious actor because this franchise has probably hurt any chances of this happening.

      • Bridget says:

        Disagreeing with you makes her a defensive fan? That’s just a step up from saying that someone’s just jealous.

      • HaHa says:

        Oh most definitely! That Norn Iron accent makes a load of difference. My ex is from Belfast and their wit over there tends to be very dry and blunt but said with a twinkle in the eye.

    • Esmom says:

      I don’t know, I took his comments as being self deprecating — as in he knows male models aren’t the brightest because he was one of them. And acknowledges that it doesn’t take a lot of brainpower to lean against a wall for photos.

      He is extremely good looking. But I have to say the one show I’ve seen him in, some Netflix series, I think, where he’s a serial killer, was not impressive.

      • Willow says:

        But you can be self deprecating without putting others down. People do it all the time. Just talk about your own quirks and traits. But like he said, he isn’t that bright.

  12. T.Fanty says:

    Said the guy starring in Fifty Shades is Grey.

  13. WORD says:

    They really are dumb tho

  14. Kiki says:

    Seriously, a serious actor???. I never thought that of him. uhmmm!

    • Brian says:

      He’s…limited. He’s great looking, was good as the reserved, reticent killer in The Fall…and that’s all I got.

  15. littlemissnaughty says:

    Oh babe, I saw 50 Shades of Embarrassment last night and trust me, people see you in that and assume the same.

    I feel like this career decision of his was a dumb move. Or maybe brilliant because that character is exactly his speed. I can’t tell if he’s a good actor. I’ve seen Anthropoid and The Fall and in both he kinda acts the same as in 50 Shades?

  16. Tig says:

    Can’t believe someone else saw Anthropoid! That was one intense movie! And Jamie should play lighter- he is just so funny on this latest Graham Norton. And he is very easy on the eyes.
    I saw the first movie, and really liked that they went with a female director. Now it appears that even a MALE director couldn’t make the movies “better”- (sarcasm alert). And yes, know that E James was totally unwilling to listen to any suggestions re improvements such as dialogue 😀.

    • Chrissy says:

      I too saw Anthropoid and, though I originally saw it to see Jamie, I was simply blown away by the super talented Cillian Murphy. Jamie was okay. His best work, so far, was in The Fall IMO. He did 50 Shades for the exposure. He’s been working steadily ever since the first one.

  17. Adrien says:

    I had models as roommates before and they were real life Orange Mocha Frappuccino guys. I think it is unfair to generalize though.

  18. Rhys says:

    At least he could tell his agent “don’t ever send me to these creepy bastards again.” As a guy he could easily just tell his agent off but if he were a girl he’d have to either keep quiet or be nice. I used to model. I cannot imagine talking like that to my agent. I’d have to be all nice and apologetic or I’d be out of auditions.

  19. Gailly says:

    If you haven’t seen it, his appearance on Graham Norton when he was talking about his walk his amazing. Totes fell in love with him in that clip!

  20. JA says:

    Ever watch the 30 Rock episode where Tina dates hot Jon Hamm and soon comes to find out he’s dull, dumb and bad in the sack? Mocks the fact that many very attractive ppl don’t bother with personality or any intelligence because they’re hot and it’s gotten them everything. I think it’s more along those lines when he says he assumes all male models are dumb. Obviously they aren’t all idiots but again when they only thing ppl care about are your looks, I’m sure it does just make it easier just to focus on that and go along for the ride. Those who can market it into another career and deals, well obviously they are smarter than they look. I like Jamie so I’ll allow it. He was great with Gillian Anderson playing an loving father/husband and serial killer who was all kinds of screwed up…really showed he can act!

  21. Shannon says:

    Kind of unfair. I’ve always been told I’m pretty in an interesting way; when I was younger, I took that as an insult, but as I got older, I could see that it was kind of true – I could see what they meant, bone-structure wise. But I’m 5’2″. My brother is 6’1″ and I used to wish I could trade height with him and then I would totally have tried modeling (it would have been a bad decision, but that’s what young people do LOL). But I’m intelligent, too, not a genius, but I made good grades and graduated college and I have opinions. Just because someone wants to throw something at the wall to see if it sticks & make some money with whatever tools they have in their toolbox – shrug. That’s not stupid, that’s actually pretty smart if you can make it work for you.

    • magnoliarose says:

      The oddest part of about being successful as a model is that the majority were discovered or on a lark because they were tall and entered a competition in their country. You sign the contract and either you make money or you end up owing and broke. That first paycheck is when you think hmmm I guess I will keep doing this.

  22. mike says:

    He’s not exactly a brain surgeon, either.

  23. SM says:

    Jamie needs to read a fantastic Shades review at Lainey gossip: http://wwwnlaineygossip.com/fifty-shades-freed-starring-jamie-dornan-andmdakota-johnson-movie-review/49110. It will put him back on the ground very fast. Though I am sure thia is one of the kinder reviews.

  24. Jay says:

    Ok but did he honestly think they handmade or custom made “several options” of peener socks just for him? Like OF COURSE these are previously used, my guy. I’m sure they were clean, jeez.

  25. Anon33 says:

    I put this comment in every story about this prick. Used to MAJORLY lust after him. He was my #4 on my “5 celebs” list.

    Then I read the interview where he admitted breaking up with Kiera bc she made more money than him and he couldn’t handle it. And no, he wasn’t describing how he’d grown out of that mindset. He was defending himself.

    No thanks.

    • Bridget says:

      I think people in general forget that those two dated. That was also Keira at her thinnest. As soon as those two broke up she seemed much happier.

      I saw the Graham Norton interview and I didn’t find Jamie that charming. He has a really defensive tone to him, and while I get that it’s hard to be up there promoting a movie that you know will be ridiculed, I still can’t get past that edge to him.

  26. Ozogirl says:

    Don’t most models start before 18? I doubt if many have finished even a high school education… so yeah…they may not be the brightest.

  27. Caroline says:

    My husband put himself through college modeling, having been discovered by Bruce Weber cleaning his pool on Long Island. Sidenote: the Bruce he knew never crossed the line, but that was in the 80s. He also told me that even though Bruce was always a pro, he echoed Dornan’s comment about photographers hitting on him—it happened a lot. Imagine if you’re a young woman in that biz w/o a parent or guardian to protect you.

    He left the biz about 3 years after college and was able to transition to a career on Wall Street and never looked back. Some of the guys he worked with went on to acting or other very fine careers, so certainly not all of them were dumb.

  28. Casi says:

    Call me crazy but I am assuming that Inmate #3 sewed the sock for his junk.

    …or do we really believe that inmates are issued socks for their junk and that their moms send them camp style nametags to sew in to them?

  29. xpresson says:

    Casi, Inmate#3 as in a role for a Movie… not a real inmate.