Mr. François Arnaud will see you now. Wait, that has a definitely sexy ring to it, doesn’t it? The Canadian actor, who’s currently stealing hearts as newly-out hockey player Scott Hunter in Heated Rivalry, has been around the block in Hollywood for years. You might know him from The Borgias or Midnight, Texas, but he recently dropped a bombshell about a role he could’ve had—one you’ll definitely recognize: Christian Grey. Yes, you read that right. Christian Grey.
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Wait, seriously?
In the latest episode of Shut Up Evan, Arnaud spilled the tea about his near-miss with the iconic Fifty Shades of Grey role. The actor, now 40, opened up about testing for the part of the brooding, billionaire BDSM enthusiast. Insert dramatic gasp here.
“There were moments where I thought that something approaching this level of attention or scrutiny was gonna happen,” Arnaud explained. “I tested for Fifty Shades of Grey, for instance, and I was like, ‘Oh, am I ready to sign my life away, in a sense?’”
Although he didn’t outright say he was vying for Christian Grey (but come on, with his dark, brooding look and that physique, we can’t help but connect the dots), he did admit it was one of those “what could have been” moments. And before you scream “WUT?!”, yes, he was up against Jamie Dornan. (Other contenders for the role included Billy Magnussen, Scott Eastwood, and Christian Cooke—Christian? No way.)
The Showdown: Arnaud vs. Dornan
Now, let’s talk about the real versus here: François Arnaud vs. Jamie Dornan for Christian Grey. Imagine it—two actors, both talented, both with that smoldering intensity. Arnaud’s brooding look and impressive physique had him locked into the same category as Dornan, but of course, we all know who ended up with the role.
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Dornan, with his quiet, tortured charisma, brought Christian Grey to life and made millions of us rethink what “dominant” really means. But what if Arnaud had snagged the role instead? Could he have matched the on-screen chemistry, the depth of Christian’s emotional turmoil? And could we have swooned just as much? Maybe even more?
The Blessing in Disguise
Before we start daydreaming about an alternate universe, let’s appreciate Arnaud’s perspective. The actor, who came out as bisexual in 2020, isn’t upset about losing the role. Far from it. He now sees it as a blessing in disguise.
“I wanted the opportunities that would come with a job like that and being able to choose my projects, but … I always valued normalcy and real life and real relationships,” Arnaud shared.
The Role He Never Needed
So, yeah, maybe he could’ve been the one making us all weak in the knees with his “fifty shades” of intensity. But, hey, instead, we got Scott Hunter—and that’s turned out just fine.
Could Arnaud Have Pulled It Off?
Now, back to the showdown. Do you think Arnaud would have crushed it as Christian Grey? Or is your heart still firmly locked up in Dornan’s grasp? Maybe you would’ve swapped allegiances—or maybe not. Either way, both actors would have brought something different to the table, and it’s fun to imagine what could have been.
Either way, François Arnaud has been crushing it in Heated Rivalry—and while he may not have had his “Fifty Shades” moment, it seems like he’s found something much more worthwhile: a career built on real stories, meaningful roles, and, you know, normal relationships. Who needs the corporate billionaire life when you’ve got this level of charm?
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François Arnaud: More Than Just a Missed Opportunity
So, François: You may not have been Christian Grey, but in our books? You’re definitely a contender.