Jamie Dornan defends Fifty Shades of Grey

Los Angeles - Jamie Dornan does not think Fifty Shades of Grey is anti-feminist.

The 32-year-old actor stars as Christian Grey in the eagerly-awaited film adaptation of the best-selling novel by E. L. James and has claimed the film's love story is just as important as the erotic aspects of the script.

He told ELLE UK magazine: "I can understand why people say tying a woman up and spanking her is misogynistic. But actually, more men are submissives than women. Very powerful men. It's a far bigger scene than I imagined.

"The love story is more important than the BDSM aspect. I mean, we are going to tell a love story, you know, it can't just be what happens in the Red Room, that's not a film. There's so much more going on than that."

Jamie previously admitted to visiting a private sex dungeon as research for Fifty Shades of Grey.

He revealed that the show was held at the home of a man who later became the movie's advisor on kinkiness.

The Fall actor explained: "I went there, he offered me a beer, and they did... whatever they were into. I saw a dominant with two submissives, and he became our kink advisor on the film."

Fifty Shades of Grey is set for release in February.

See Jamie's full photo shoot and interview in the February issue of ELLE UK, on sale 2 January 2015 in print and digital format via Apple Newsstand.