The actors of the scandalous melodrama probably didn’t even suspect how famous they would become after the release of the movie. The film was controversial and many stars had refused to take part in it, given the plot and the provocative scenes, but Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan went for it for a very modest fee of just $250,000 each.

The film earned more than $500 million worldwide, which is why the starring actors decided to renegotiate the terms of their contracts. Of course, they were entitled to a tiered structure of bonuses, but that wasn’t enough. Eventually, Johnson and Dornan asked for a 6-figure fee for the next 2 parts of the franchise.