Fifty Shades Darker charmer Jamie Dornan reveals he’s driven to drink by ‘questions about his bottom’ at post-premiere party with the stars
We catch up with the stars at the post-premiere event and find novel's author is sitting pretty after making £19million last year
IF there’s one film that’s certain not to win a BAFTA it’s bonkbuster 50 Shades Darker.
But we doubt the lady who had the genius idea to mix a love story with love eggs - all hail the queen of mummyporn EL JAMES - minds much.
The author, whose movie about her second book is out this week, made an astonishing £19 million last year and, as accounts for her company show, pocketed herself a tidy £5 million salary.
Amazingly the accounts also show that other salaries for the company only amounted to £16000, suggesting that’s all the only other listed employee - screenwriter hubby NIALL LEONARD - made.
We’re clearly writing about the wrong kind of stuff... Wonder if Harper Collins would be interested in a spec novel about a busty train conducter turned dominatrix who loves flogging her hunky station guard...
EL was toasting her millions at a freebie - what else - event put on by film studio Universal this week after the London premiere.
We mingled with the stars at the Corinthia bash including stars JAMIE DORNAN and co-star RITA ORA.
Notice anyone missing? Leading lady DAKOTA JOHNSON skipped the bash with members of the film’s team moaning to us about her no-show. She was later spotted heading in to the Chiltern Firehouse alone.
One fumed to us: “She’s not bothered to turn up and is out partying somewhere.”
That meant she skipped the festivities that were spearheaded by Jamie - who Dakota has spent the last two years denying she dislikes after they were reported have not got on during the first film - and his wife Amelia.
The boozy Irishman was inviting everyone within earshot to an after-afterparty at Claridges hotel.
He told us: “I have to drink to be able to withstand so many questions about my bottom.”
Yeah, sorry about that Jamie... But we stand by our investigative questions about your rear’s backside. (Turns out, he doesn’t have it insured. Big mistake, judging by the amount of flogging it goes through.)
Another star who didn’t seem to be enjoying the evening was Rita Ora. She oddly spent the evening sitting away from the rest of the crew with her pals and left without saying goodbye to anyone.
She told us she was desperate to keep on working in the industry - and had just finished a film with the late great CARRIE FISHER.
But it was odd to see the normally boisterous and attention seeking star being more reserved and cautious around Hollywood bigwigs. “I’m a bit drunk,” she confessed to us. Odd. That normally makes us more confident.
Nic's ace trip
NICOLE SCHERZINGER took tennis-ace boyfriend GRIGOR DIMITROV to meet the parents at Christmas, we have learned.
The X Factor beauty hasn’t been seen with her lover for a few months, and skipped watching him in the Australian Open, prompting fears it was all over.
But our source tells us: “Nicole and Grigor are still going strong. He came to Hawaii over Christmas and her family made a fuss of them. It’s the real deal.”
Meanwhile her ex LEWIS HAMILTON is busy setting up photo ops (allegedly) with model after model. Sorry, we meant to say we’re sure he will make a real go of it with SOFIA RICHIE.
It's forever for Busted
WHEN CHARLIE SIMPSON left BUSTED in 2005, he described being in the band as “torture”.
But Charlie, MATT WILLIS and JAMES BOURNE insist the drama is all water under the bridge. They have even vowed that this time they will stick together until they’re old and grey.
In an exclusive chat, Charlie said: “I’m confident (a second break-up) won’t happen, now we have a rule that minority rules. If one person doesn’t like something, we don’t do it.
“So someone might take time out but we’ll never break up. This is our focus, we are going to record another album, and we are in this 100 per cent.”
We met as they prepared for the London gig of their Night Driver tour, and the lads were buzzing about their chance to let loose. Matt, who has three kids with EMMA WILLIS, said: “I have two different lives. At home I’m Dad and when the tour comes I’m like, ‘See ya!’
“We are writing songs we actually want to sing these days. The first time around we just used to write songs so we could f*** about on stage.”
We hope their gigs aren’t too serious. Everyone loves an air guitar.