Heated Rivalry's François Arnaud Was Almost Cast in Fifty Shades of Grey

While Heated Rivalry star François Arnaud didn't specify which role he was up for in 50 Shades of Grey, I guess we can all assume he was up for the role of Christian Grey, a role that eventually went to Jamie Dornan.

via: Out

François Arnaud, who plays as Scott Hunter on the Crave Canada/HBO Max series Heated Rivalry, revealed during a new interview that he tested for Fifty Shades of Grey. After not getting cast, Arnaud was crushed, and even questioned his overall career as an actor.

"There were moments where I thought that something approaching this level of attention or scrutiny was gonna happen," Arnaud told Evan Ross Katz on the Shut Up Evan podcast. "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?'"

Arnaud explained he was "incredibly fearful of that happening" because it's not really what he wanted. What he did want "were the opportunities that would come with a job like that, and then being able to choose my projects."

According to the actor, "I don't think I would have been ready for that. I'm thankful that it didn't happen to me," he noted. "At that age, I'd probably be dead."

While Arnaud didn't specify that he was auditioning for the role of Christian Grey, that's the only logical assumption given the context he shared on the Shut Up Evan. Famously, that part was given to Jamie Dornan.

In many ways, Arnaud reasoned that this is why he feels so protective over his Heated Rivalry costars Connor Storrie, Robbie G.K., and Hudson Williams.

"I always valued normalcy, and real life, and real relationships, you know? When you're talking about the other three…there's a part of me that is a bit worried," the actor noted.

Arnaud concluded, "I don't think I would have been ready for that. In a way, I'm thankful that it didn't happen to me. At that age? I'd probably be dead."