Jamie Dornan has spent his career mastering the art of transformation—from his breakout role in the FIFTY SHADES franchise to his chilling performance in the BBC’s PSYCHO adaptation. But lately, the Irish actor, model, and international heartthrob finds himself thinking less about awards and accolades and more about something far simpler: being a semi-cool dad. It’s a refreshing admission from someone who has scaled the heights of Hollywood, and it sets the tone for what promises to be one of the biggest years of his career.
The actor recently became the face of Moncler’s “Puffy Summer” campaign, but his real excitement lies elsewhere. Dornan is juggling an ambitious slate of projects that represent some of the most challenging and rewarding work of his professional life. There’s a palpable sense of both terror and exhilaration in how he discusses what’s ahead, a duality that reveals the kind of actor he’s become—one who doesn’t shy away from difficulty but actively seeks it out.
The first major project is 12 12 12, a collaboration between Skydance and Apple that pairs Dornan with Anthony Mackie in a globe-trotting cat-and-mouse heist thriller. The film spans multiple continents and was shot in Budapest, an experience Dornan describes as incredible. His history with Mackie—they worked together about eight years ago—meant the chemistry was already there, transforming what could have been a grueling shoot into something genuinely fun. There’s a comfort in that kind of professional familiarity, a shorthand that allows actors to dig deeper into their characters without wasting energy on getting to know each other.
But it’s his Netflix series THE UNDERTOW that seems to genuinely unsettle him, in the best possible way. In it, Dornan plays identical twins, a role that represents a rare career opportunity. Most actors never get the chance to inhabit two distinct human beings within a single narrative, and Dornan approaches it with appropriate humility and dread. The pressure stems not from external expectations but from his own internal drive to make both characters feel wholly separate, to ensure that despite their biological similarity, they register as entirely different entities to the audience. It’s the kind of technical and emotional challenge that separates good actors from great ones.
What’s striking about Dornan’s approach to both projects is his willingness to lean into the fear. He doesn’t pretend to have all the answers or present a facade of unshakeable confidence. Instead, he acknowledges the terror head-on and lets it fuel his work. This same vulnerability emerged during his recent hosting stint on Saturday Night Live, where he admitted to the cast that he was terrified—only to discover that they were scared too. That collective acknowledgment of shared fear transformed the experience from something isolating into something collaborative and ultimately liberating. By dress rehearsal with a live audience, when genuine laughter filled the room, Dornan knew everything would be fine.
It’s that same philosophy he’s bringing to THE UNDERTOW. He’s deliberately trying to embrace the madness of playing twins, to let the enormity of the opportunity sink in and actually savor it rather than simply endure it. There’s an intentionality there, a conscious decision to enjoy the moment rather than merely survive it. For an actor at this stage of his career, with a young family at home and the freedom to be selective about his roles, that mindset represents a kind of professional wisdom that can only come with experience.
As Dornan looks ahead to 12 12 12, THE UNDERTOW, and whatever comes next, it’s clear that he’s not chasing stardom or trying to prove anything to anyone. Instead, he’s pursuing work that excites him, collaborations with talented people, and opportunities that scare him just enough to remind him why he fell in love with acting in the first place. And if he manages to be a semi-cool dad along the way, well, that’s perhaps the greatest achievement of all.