IN PHOTOS: Model-actor Jamie Dornan cast as new ’50 Shades of Grey’ lead

Less than two weeks after Charlie Hunnam withdrew from the role, Irish model-actor Jamie Dornan was cast as the male lead of the movie adaptation of the bestselling erotic novel “50 Shades of Grey.”

Dornan will join female lead Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele in the movie, with Sam Taylor-Johnson directing.

Hunman left the project a few weeks before the movie was slated to shoot. While Hunman’s casting in the much-talked about project was met with critical response by fans, social media reaction to Dornan was generally positive.

Here is Dornan in the ABC drama series "Once Upon a Time" as Sheriff Graham Humbert. (Photo credit: ABC/SERGEI BACHLAKOV/via abc.go.com)

A few hours before the casting was made official, Dornan was already a hot topic in Philippine social media.

The 31-year-old actor may not be a familiar name to the Philippine audience prior to his “50 Shades of Grey” casting. His biggest break as an actor so far is his role as the Huntsman/Sheriff Graham Humbert in the U.S. series “Once Upon a Time.” He also starred in Sofia Coppola’s film “Marie Antoinette” and the British crime drama “The Fall.”

But perhaps more related to his role as Christian Grey is his background as a male model. Pictures of Dornan circulated online upon news that he will be cast as the eccentric and sadistic millionaire. (Photo credit: Calvin Klein/via jamie-dornan.org)

Dornan appeared in numerous campaigns for major fashion brands such as Calvin Klein, Dior, and Armani, among many others.

Watch his commercial for Dior here:

The model-actor dated actress Keira Knightley from 2003 to 2005, while he reported dated Lindsay Lohan and Sienna Miller. (Photo credit: Calvin Klein/via jamie-dornan.org)

Shooting for "50 Shades of Grey" is planned to begin in November, with a release in August next year.