Picture it: Feb. 13, 2015. It was a simpler time, back when we could not even fathom the world of hurt lurking just around the corner. The world of hurts-so-good, brought to you by the Red Room of Pain, that is.
Just in time for Valentine's Day that year, the eponymous first film in the hotly anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy opened in theaters, the culmination of a relatively short but not drama-free journey from page to screen for the surprise best-seller by British author E.L. James.
Perfect for those still pining away for Twilight-caliber romance but ready to add nudity to the mix, the fractured-fairy tale relationship between Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) was ripe for the adapting, and three films were churned out between 2015 and 2018.
But nothing could compare to the excitement that awaited the original Fifty Shades of Grey film.
And since seven years ago feels like forever-ago, there are plenty of juicy details we had forgotten about the making of this film. Now, in honor of Dornan's birthday May 1, sit perfectly still and read on.
Don't be alarmed, that's just the afterglow you're feeling.
(Originally published Feb. 13, 2020, at 3 a.m. PT)