Rugby star reveals he missed out on Fifty Shades of Grey lead role

Tough gig, being a casting director

Former Scottish rugby star Thom Evans has revealed how he auditioned for the lead role of billionaire kink-lord Christian Grey in the upcoming movie adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. Evans, who was capped 10 times by Scotland before a neck injury ended his playing career, has made the altogether believable claim in the latest issue of Attitude magazine. He lost out on the role to Northern Irish actor Jamie Dornan, who came to our attention by playing a social worker serial killer alongside Gillian Anderson in The Fall. Evans says, 'I actually went up for Jamie's role of Christian Grey. The audition was pretty tame to be honest, but it was a great experience for me. It's such a huge project and I'd be lying to say I wouldn't have loved to have got the role. But I think Jamie is perfect for it and I can't wait to see it.' He adds, 'Jamie is flourishing in the acting world, and if I could do half as well as he has I'd be more than happy. I would love to play that kind of character, it would be just the kind of thing I'd love to do. I really like dark independent films. But right now, I would love the opportunity to take on any role.' Evans has enjoyed a varied and interesting life before and after his rugby career. He is an accomplished junior skier, was in pop band TwentyFourSeven, appeared in Strictly Come Dancing and had a short-lived stint as a track athlete, finishing fourth in the Scottish National Championships indoor 60m event. Fifty Shades of Grey is based on the best-selling E.L James novel and is due for a February 14 cinematic release.