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'Fifty Shades' stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan reunite

Johnson and Dornan formerly co-starred together in the massively popular "Fifty Shades" film trilogy.
/ Source: TODAY

It’s a “Fifty Shades” reunion!

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, who starred opposite each other in the steamy “Fifty Shades” film trilogy, were photographed together at the Telluride Film Festival on Saturday, Sept. 4 in Colorado.

2021 Telluride Film Festival
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson attend the Telluride Film Festival on Sept. 4, 2021.Vivien Killilea / Getty Images

The two former co-stars were all smiles as they posed side-by-side in multiple photos together at the festival. At one point, they were joined by “The Outsiders” star Matt Dillon who posed with them for a couple of snaps as well.

2021 Telluride Film Festival
Matt Dillon with Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.Getty Images

Johnson, 31, portrayed the character of Anastasia Steele who begins a relationship with billionaire businessman Christian Grey, played by Dornan, 39. Based on the best-selling series by E. L. James, the two starred alongside one another through all three films, including 2015’s “Fifty Shades of Grey,” 2017’s “Fifty Shades Darker” and the final installment of the series, 2018’s “Fifty Shades Freed.”

Despite portraying a romantic relationship on-screen, Johnson has hinted in the past that she and Dornan were not nearly that close before filming the trilogy.

In a 2017 interview with TODAY’s Natalie Morales ahead of the “Fifty Shades Darker” premiere, Natalie pointed out that the co-stars had a nice friendship, to which Johnson said, “I think we were kind of forced into being best friends.”

After her response, she smiled at Dornan, who laughed at her explanation of their real-life relationship.

“I couldn’t have said it nicer myself,” the actor said.

Despite the initially “forced” friendship, Johnson pointed out that had they not gotten along, their experience would be "really, really awful.”

“It would be,” Dornan agreed. “It’s a very unique sort of friendship. It’s a friendship that is built on maybe more trust than other friendships need to be because of the situations we had to get through with each other.”

And to think that Johnson almost didn’t take on the role of Anastasia Steele!

While it was Johnson’s breakout role in Hollywood, "Games of Thrones" star Emilia Clarke was initially up for the part.

Clarke, 34, revealed during The Hollywood Reporter‘s Drama Actress Roundtable in May 2019 that while she considered the role, she ultimately turned it down due to the amount of onscreen nudity required.

“Well, Sam (Taylor-Johnson, the director) is a magician. I love her, and I thought her vision was beautiful,” Clarke, 34, said. “But the last time that I was naked on camera on ('Game of Thrones') was a long time ago, and yet it is the only question that I ever get asked because I am a woman.”