While filming the second season of the BBC drama, The Fall, actress Gillian Anderson admitted that she couldn’t stop picturing co-star Jamie Dornan naked.
Although Dornan, who will be appearing as Christian Grey in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey, said “no” to full-frontal nudity in the erotic/romantic drama film, that didn’t stop Anderson’s imagination.
“I could only see him naked from the moment he walked in,” she joked to the BBC. “It was really distracting.”
The Fall follows Anderson as detective Stella Gibson on the hunt for Paul Spector (Dornan), a serial killer. Although the first season the two only had a few scenes together, mainly by phone, Dornan said that he and Anderson’s chemistry was undeniable.
Stella. So fierce. #TheFall pic.twitter.com/Z126CYwtM8
— The Fall (@TheFallTV) November 13, 2014
“I think that it’s so clever. The fact that there is such chemistry and it’s done through any lack of physical contact,” he said. “It’s just down to great writing, very smartly crafted.”
Given the seriousness of the show, Dornan was appreciative of the lightness of the cast and crew during filming.
“On a general level it’s a pretty fun set. It’s the same crew as the first series. So we are like a big family,” the 32-year-old said.
“I’d love to be known as a prankster but no,” he added. “I’m not hiding stuff in Gillian’s trailer or anything like that.”
Watching? #TheFall starts on BBC Two NOW. pic.twitter.com/ZIeqlI9Gev
— The Fall (@TheFallTV) November 13, 2014
Anderson, known for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the 1990s television series The X-Files, has played her fair share of powerful women including Hannibal Lecter’s therapist Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier on NBC’s Hannibal, set to return for a third season next year.
“[Du Maurier} is a very complicated character that we are still learning about what her modus operandi is and where she stands in all of it, but I wouldn’t necessarily use her as an example [of a strong female character],” Anderson said with a laugh.
As far as Dornan goes, Anderson is unsure of how his role in Grey will turn out, partially nude or not.
“The movie hasn’t even come out – he might suck,” Anderson joked.
Fifty Shades of Grey will be released in the U.S. on February 13, 2015.
The second season of The Fall began Thursday, November 13 on BBC One.