James Peter Maxwell Dornan (/ˈdʒeɪmi ˈdɔːrnən/; born 1 May 1982) is an actor, model, and musician from Northern Ireland. His accolades include two Irish Film and Television Awards, in addition to nominations for a BAFTA Television Award and a Golden Globe Award. He has been ranked as one of the "25 Biggest Male Models of All Time" by Vogue, as well as named one of Ireland's greatest film actors by The Irish Times.
Dornan began his career as a model, appearing in campaigns for Hugo Boss, Dior Homme, and Calvin Klein. He transitioned to acting with a role in Sofia Coppola's drama film Marie Antoinette(2006). His breakthrough came as the Huntsman / Sheriff Graham Humbert in the fantasy series Once Upon a Time (2011–2013) and as serial killer Paul Spector in the crime drama series The Fall(2013–2016); the latter earned him critical praise and a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor.
Dornan achieved wider recognition for portraying Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades franchise(2015–2018), which collectively grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide. His other film credits include Anthropoid (2016), The Siege of Jadotville (2017), Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021), and Belfast (2021); the latter earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He has since starred in the thriller drama series The Tourist (2022–2024).
As a musician, Dornan performed in the folk band Sons of Jim and contributed to the soundtracks of Fifty Shades Freed (2018), Wild Mountain Thyme (2020), and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
