The Fall actor was officially revealed as Charlie Hunnam's replacement for the role of sadomasochistic billionaire Christian Grey thanks to a Twitter post from the bestselling trilogy's author.
EL tweeted: "Stow your twitchy palms ladies... our man is here. Welcome to #TeamFifty @JamieDornan1 x (sic)"
Stow your twitchy palms ladies... our man is here. Welcome to #TeamFifty @JamieDornan1 x
— E L James (@E_L_James) October 24, 2013
Meanwhile, Bronagh Waugh, who plays Dornan's on-screen wife in British TV thriller The Fall, couldn't contain her excitement at the news and branded the part in the kinky movie the "role of the century".
She posted: "I think my onscreen husband @JamieDornan1 has just landed THE biggest role of the CENTURY!!?! How will I ever be naked with him again?!!!
"Love you @JamieDornan1 very very proud of you you wonderful man you!!! #FiftyShadesofGrey #sexymurderoushusband #imabornagainchristian xxx (sic)"
Girls star and creator Lena Dunham was also thrilled with the casting, joking that she would finally be allowed to lust after the Irish dreamboat, who plays a disturbed serial killer in The Fall.
She wrote: "I'm a monstrous @JamieDornan1 fan. Wasn't allowed to be attracted to him on The Fall bc he played a sexmurderer. 50 Shades is my big chance! (sic)"
I'm a monstrous @JamieDornan1 fan. Wasn't allowed to be attracted to him on The Fall bc he played a sexmurderer. 50 Shades is my big chance!
— Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) October 24, 2013
Dornan - who is also famed for playing Sheriff Graham on the first season of hit fantasy TV drama Once Upon a Time - will star opposite Dakota Johnson as naïve ingénue Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades film.
Hunnam quit the role earlier this month blaming scheduling conflicts with his TV show, Sons of Anarchy, but the actor is rumoured to have felt uncomfortable about the attention surrounding the high-profile project.