The 'Fifty Shades of Grey' actor responds to the backlash over his star-studded 'Imagine' video, insisting he and his celebrity pals didn't mean to offend anyone.

• Apr 11, 2020

AceShowbiz - "Fifty Shades of Grey" star Jamie Dornan has jumped to the defence of his pal Kristen Wiig, after she was slammed for putting together a cringeworthy viral video featuring celebrities singing along to John Lennon's "Imagine".

Wiig and "Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot came up with the plan to help lift the spirits of people on lockdown, but the idea fell flat and led to fans and critics alike taking aim at the actresses for being out of touch.

Dornan, who was among the stars who appeared in the video, has now defended the project, insisting people should understand Gadot and his friend were simply trying to do a good thing.

"Kristen and I did a movie together last summer... and we got on brilliantly," Jamie told the "Tea With Me" podcast. "I would do anything for her - that's how highly I think of her. I was the biggest fan of her before anyway."

"Kristen texted, 'Gal and I are trying to organise this thing to lift spirits,' so I was like, 'Of course I'll do it.' Then she texted days later saying, 'Sorry'... Not being on social media, I wasn't aware of the reaction - but was made aware by mates."

Jamie, who revealed he shot his segment from his toilet, has a good idea why so many people were upset by the video, adding, "I'll tell you what the problem was: I literally did mine in the toilet of my house. Quite clearly, some people had escaped to their second home."

"There's too much acreage in the background, too many beautiful trees swaying in the background, clearly in front of an ocean, that sort of craic."

Many viewers criticised the stars in the video for trying to seem sincere about the coronavirus pandemic and the plight of the world as a whole while singing in the gardens of their palatial mansions and at home in their luxury pads.