Charlie Hunnam Explains Why He Quit '50 Shades of Grey'

The actor, who was slated to play Christian Gray, was replaced by Jamie Dornan.

ByABC News
November 11, 2014, 4:09 PM
Actor Charlie Hunnam is featured in the cover story for Men's Health magazine in December, 2014.
Actor Charlie Hunnam is featured in the cover story for Men's Health magazine in December, 2014.
Ture Lillegraven for Men's Health

— -- Charlie Hunnam shocked "50 Shades of Grey" fans by pulling out of the project just weeks after he was cast as Christian Grey.

However, the "Sons of Anarchy" actor did it not only in his own best interests, but also because he was thinking about what was best for the project, he told Men's Health magazine.

"I was going to finish playing a psychopath who’d just lost his wife [in "Sons of Anarchy"], and five days later I’d be on set playing Christian Grey,” he said. "I was like, 'This is going to be a ... disaster.' It was the opposite of how I’ve tried to ground my career, not stretch myself too thin, and always do my homework."

Hunnam, 34, said that he understands that this isn't necessarily the norm in Hollywood. However, to him, it was of utmost importance.

"There’s a tendency in this Hollywood machinery to take on too much," he said. "You end up not being able to give everything you want."