Ahead of the release of the highly anticipated big screen version of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, the movie’s star Jamie Dornan has spoken out against critics of the book who claim that it’s misogynistic.

Dornan, who plays the lead character Christian Grey in the adaptation, said that that interpretation was understandable, given its prominence, but played up the love story as the most important aspect of the book.

Christian Grey
Jamie Dornan plays Christian Grey in the forthcoming film, due for release on February 13th.

He told Elle U.K.: “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: in pretty much any city in the world that you could name, people want to get spanked with a paddle with studs on it.”

Emphasising the romance at the heart of ‘Fifty Shades’, he then said: “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.”

More: Jamie Dornan recalls visiting a sex dungeon to prepare for Fifty Shades of Grey role

The 32 year old Irish actor Dornan was cast just over a year ago, after original actor Charlie Hunnam dropped out of the production in October 2013. He has prepared thoroughly for his role in the film, which is expected to be an enormous box office success, even going so far as to visit an S&M dungeon to get some insight into his character. The book, by E. L. James, has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.

Fifty Shades of Grey is scheduled for release in cinemas on February 13th, to coincide with Valentine’s Day.

Is Dornan correct? Is the book harmless, or does it unwittingly promote misogyny?

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