Actor Jamie Dornan says looking back at his upbringing in Belfast

JAMIE DORNAN has told how he now looks back on his growing up in Belfast – saying: “I think bomb scares are normal life.”

The Fifty Shades of Gray star stars in Kenneth Branagh’s hit new film, Belfast, about the upbringing of the director in the 1960s.

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And Jamie, who grew up in the city decades later, said he now realizes how strange the times were, even in the 1980s and 1990s when car bombs were the norm.

He told the new February issue of Vogue: “If you were born there and raised there, you will be aware of the fact that you come from a very complicated place. From the day I was born, until the day I died, people fought a lot about a civil war.”

Now a father of three, Jamie – who lives in London – says he now realizes that his childhood has been ruined by the conflict in Northern Ireland.

He said: “I always think back to things that have become normal, that is not normal. Like trying to meet your mate on Saturday afternoons in town and there’s going to be a bombshell. ”

The film, which also stars Ciaran Hinds, Caitriona Balfe and Jude Hill, tells the story of an anti-working class family in The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Local youngster Jude plays nine-year-old Buddy, a role based on Branagh himself, in the film, while Jamie, 39, and Caitriona, 42, plays Ma and Pa.

Famous actress Caitriona – who grew up in the border district of Monaghan – said she was also used to the violence of the North.

The actress, whose father is a police sergeant, says she was raised to be “apolitical”.

“I remember we used to do our weekly shopping in the North, and you would go through the checkpoints at least once a week,” she said.

“We didn’t even really think about it until our cousins ​​came up from the south and they would be horrified to come across, because you would have British soldiers with machine guns. pointed at the car asking for your papers.”

Appearing in the new issue of Vogue, Caitriona and Jamie both reflect the importance of Belfast for the next generation who did not grow up in the conflict.

‘NO WINNER’

She said: “There is a generation of young people growing up who have not lived through the Troubles, and have that kind of romanticism that is living for the cause and fighting for it.

“It’s probably too much to ask for a movie to change people’s minds, but I think it’s important that people see it.”

Jamie added: “Anything that can prove that there is no eventual winner is good for the next generation to see.”

The film has enjoyed success, with nominations and wins, during the 2022 awards season which has been plagued by delays and cancellations.

Hill was nominated for best young actor/actress at the 27th Critics Choice Awards.

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Both Dornan and Hinds received nods for best supporting actor and Balfe was nominated for best supporting actress.

The film was nominated for Best Overall Picture, Best Performance, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

The film will be released in the UK and Ireland today.

February issue of British Vogue on sale right now.

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