On-screen, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele oozed tension, control, and desire. But what happened seconds before the cameras rolled on their most erotic scenes might surprise you: they were laughing.
According to multiple interviews, Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson developed an unusual ritual before filming any sex scene. “We had to break the tension,” Johnson said. “So we’d do something ridiculous. A dance, a silly voice, anything to remind ourselves it’s just acting.”
One of their go-to methods? Making each other laugh right up until the director called “Action.” Dornan once admitted they’d even make fart jokes to cut the awkwardness. The two became so synchronized that crew members nicknamed them “The Married Non-Couple.”
This bond, while confusing to outsiders, helped them survive the emotionally draining shoots. “We were naked in every way,” Johnson explained. “Physically, emotionally. You either fall apart or build a strange kind of love. We built that love.”
Their chemistry may have looked effortless, but it was built through trust, humor, and shared vulnerability. Jamie said he’d “never worked so closely with another human being,” even though their connection was purely platonic.
Their laughter wasn’t disrespectful. It was survival. It allowed them to perform scenes that would’ve overwhelmed many actors. It’s also why, despite no romantic involvement, their on-screen chemistry remains unmatched.
