Why Dr. Leslie Ferrier From A Haunting In Venice Looks So Familiar

Any good murder mystery needs an eclectic cast of characters that keep the audience guessing. It's all the more important for the dynamic to be just right, especially when locking everyone into a confined location, as is the case with the latest Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) adaptation, "A Haunting in Venice." When everyone is gathered for a séance, a new death shines a light on darkness from the past. Anyone could hold a nefarious secret, including the timid Dr. Leslie Ferrier, played by Jamie Dornan.

When it comes to whodunnits, even the least likely suspect needs to have an air of possibility around them. And while Dornan has a history of playing sexy, confident characters, he tones it down for Dr. Ferrier. It seems unlikely he would be the one behind the murderous plot, but then again, he may be hiding more than he's letting on. 

"A Haunting in Venice" boasts a terrific ensemble, with incredibly talented actors like Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, Kelly Reilly, and, of course, Jamie Dornan. And in case you can't quite place the prolific actor, here's where you may have seen him before.

Many people dream of becoming an actor. They struggle and toil hoping to land a big break, but for Jamie Dornan, it just kind of fell into his lap. 

Initially, Dornan pursued other career paths. He was in a folk band called Sons of Jim, and he did some modeling. But the world at large came to know who he was after he played Count Axel von Fersen in 2006's "Marie Antoinette." It was his first acting role ever, and he got to be directed by Sofia Coppola, starring opposite Kirsten Dunst as her love interest. The two actors reunited in 2022 for Variety's Actors on Actors series, and Dornan admitted, "I was a bit like, 'This is a cool opportunity. I'll do that.' I wasn't one of those kids who was like, I want to be an actor when I grow up. I was just following what my gut was telling me to do."

While "Marie Antoinette" was a major opportunity for Dornan, he'd later talk about how success as an actor didn't immediately follow. He told the Evening Standard how his past as a model actually worked against him, "People attach too much to the idea of being a model, that you can only be a certain way to have done it. You will always be dealing with it. You're an actor who used to be a model who never trained; there are not many directors queuing up." Fortunately, he was able to beat the dry spell. 

Jamie Dornan's next big break would firmly keep him in the realm of monarchies, as he landed the part of Sheriff Graham Humbert, a.k.a. The Huntsman in "Once Upon a Time." As is the case in the original fairy tale, this hunter is recruited by the evil queen to kill Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin). Fortunately, he has a change of heart and spares her, which angers the queen, who removes his heart and turns him into one of her Black Knights. He ends up being one of the first casualties in the series, only appearing throughout Seasons 1 and 2, but it opened the door for bigger and better things. 

Following his departure, he spoke with E! News about knowing he'd have to say goodbye to his "Once Upon a Time" castmates right when signing on, "It was a strange thing because I've seriously bonded with these people. We're all stuck together for four months and you make proper friendships. The weird thing always weighing in the back of my mind was the episode was getting closer and closer. You start trying to adjust accordingly. I'm not sure if this will be the last you'll ever see of my face on the show, but it's certainly the last you'll see of Sheriff Graham."

He later spoke in that same interview about how he'd be open to returning, but that never transpired. Instead, he'd go on to land his most recognizable role to date.

Jamie Dornan has a knack for playing heartthrobs, making him well-suited to play business magnate Christian Grey in the "Fifty Shades of Grey" film franchise. Starring opposite Dakota Johnson, the two characters pursue a sadomasochistic relationship. It proved to be the biggest hit of Dornan's career, as the first film alone grossed $569 million worldwide, and the trilogy put together resulted in a $1 billion franchise. However, while the film series definitely appealed to a certain demographic, it wasn't exactly received well by critics. 

Much like the books, the "Fifty Shades of Grey" cinematic franchise received primarily negative reviews. The first film even won the Razzie for Worst Picture, tying with "Fantastic Four," making it one of the highest-grossing movies to win such an "honor." But Dornan took everything in stride, discussing with British GQ how he doesn't mind at all being part of such a successful series. However, he did admit the one thing that bothered him about the franchise's reception, "I take issue with the whole thing being just a bit of a joke. Everyone involved worked as hard as they could on those films, including myself."

Dakota Johnson feels similarly, having some issues with the production process but not minding being part of such a huge hit at the end of the day.

"A Haunting in Venice" is a bit of a "Belfast" reunion of sorts. Kenneth Branagh also directed the 2021 coming-of-age film that centers on a working-class family in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. The young boy in the family, Buddy, is played by Jude Hill, who plays Leopold Ferrier in "A Haunting in Venice." Buddy's father, Pa, is played by Jamie Dornan, and the two must have made quite an impression on Branagh as he brought them back as father and son for his latest Agatha Christie adaptation.

"Belfast" was a critical darling, even earning Branagh an Academy Award for best original screenplay. But despite the pedigree associated with the film, Dornan had reservations about signing on. He didn't know if he was quite old enough to play a father (despite being a father to three in real life), but he told W Magazine how he had personal reasons for taking the part, "I realized that I was playing a version of [writer-director] Sir Kenneth Branagh's dad, and I felt better. I also grew up in Belfast, and I wanted to make the city proud."

It's safe to say Jamie Dornan isn't hurting for work these days. And with a large swatch of different genres in his filmography (and officially being part of Kenneth Branagh's actor roster), he should have plenty of work in front of him.