I'm not afraid to play the role of Christian Grey. Because I'm not like him. But I perfectly understand him. I never thought that he was a monster. He is simply woven from desires. As every one of us.

You're in a very nice position as an actor when you're portraying a piece of history that actually happened and portraying characters that actually existed. There's so much more to draw on and your research as an actor becomes much easier than if it's some fiction that you're trying to create a world around and background and history.

I’d like to do a job where I don’t have to tie women to beds.

I'd known plenty of people who'd worked with Cillian [Murphy], and he was one of those people I'd only heard good things about. It's pleasing when it works like this. As Cillian said, it's not always like that.

I think you've really got to cling to what makes sense to you. Obviously, I'm not a serial murderer in my real life, so that's where you have to delve into and do all the research. But, you have to find something likable in the character.

I know because the movie's made a lot of money, everyone's relaxed a bit so there wasn't that pressure to set the tone for the movies [Fifty Shades of Grey] so I felt a little more freedom this time and it probably made it more enjoyable.

Everyone likes a bit of competition.