How ‘Fifty Shades’ Star Eric Johnson Made Anastasia Steele’s Boss a Total ‘Douchebag’ (Exclusive)

How 'Fifty Shades' Star Eric Johnson Made Anastasia Steele's Boss a Total 'Douchebag' (Exclusive)

Even "Fifty Shades" author E.L. James was impressed with Eric Johnson's cringiness in this exclusive clip from the film's home video release.

Eric Johnson had a motto when playing the most hated villain of the "Fifty Shades" film series: "The cringier the better."

In TooFab's exclusive clip from the film's home video extras, Johnson goes over the iconic meeting between Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and his character, Jack Hyde, with "Fifty Shades" author and producer E.L. James.

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Flashback to "Fifty Shades Darker": Grey introduces himself as "the boyfriend," and Anastasia's (Dakota Johnson) boss at the Seattle Independent Publishing house replies "I’m the boss." It's a pivotal scene from the source material, one Johnson knew fans were eager to see before he even filmed it.

"I knew how big that scene was to the fans because as soon as I was cast, there was Photoshopped mocked-up versions of that scene playing out being sent to my Twitter account," Johnson tells James.

With sexual harassment, stalking and home invasion following Jack's introduction, Johnson had to appropriately match the sequel's darker tone. "Then also just trying to sell it in a way that doesn't come across as too cheesy," Johnson adds.

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James calls out something Johnson did that especially sold the performance. "I really chuffed when you said 'Chris,'" E.L. James explains. "Nobody calls him Chris. That was really cringey. That was fantastic."

"The cringier the better, really. It just makes him such a douchebag," Johnson replies. "It was like in full display in that moment."

To top off Jack's "cringey douchebag" brand, the character wore a green-splotched necktie, which James and Johnson suddenly recall in unison: "With that horrible tie!"

"Fifty Shades Freed" is already available on digital and hits Blu-ray/DVD on May 8.

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