Jamie Dornan said that 2021 was such a brutal year for him after he was stuck for days in quarantine in Australia when he learned that his father died of COVID-19.
In March 2021, Jim Dornan, 73, whom Jamie considered the beacon of the family, passed away at the hospital where he contracted COVID-19. Jim was supposed to have undergone a routine knee operation, but he also got the infection.
Due to the travel restrictions, Jamie could not fly in time for his father's funeral. The actor was actually in quarantine in a hotel in Australia where he would be working on a new film. They were required to isolate for a few days before starting to film on the set, but since he was in quarantine, he was not allowed to leave the country.
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Trying to Ride It Out
Speaking with The Sun, Jamie said that he has been "trying to ride it out" after his father died, even if it hurts to think that he will never see him again. Before his death, Jamie wasn't able to see his dad in person for 18 months due to the pandemic restrictions.
The actor said he understood the devastation and trauma that many people felt during this public health crisis. However, it's a feeling that has been familiar to him as he's been through a lot of pain and loss in his life at such an early age.
Jamie was around 16 years old when his mother died of pancreatic cancer. His father, however, motivated him never to let death define his life.
Jamie has a great relationship with his father, a renowned obstetrician and gynecologist at a major hospital in Belfast. Jim has also made it known to his son that he's very proud of his accomplishments as an actor nearly every day.
Jamie said that his father was his role model when he had his own family with his wife, Amelia Warner. The pair, who married in 2013, have three kids -- Dulcie, eight years old, Elva, five years old, and Alberta, two years old.
"Every single step I do since becoming a father, my career is for them," Jamie said. "That's all I really care about. I'm so lucky that I have three healthy little girls."
Dad Missed His Final Movie
What makes losing his father even more painful is that Jim will never get to see the film "Belfast," which will hit theaters in late January 2022. The actor, however, finds comfort in the fact that his dad knew he was working on the film before he passed on. In a strange way, Jamie said that he feels very connected to his father through this movie.
Jamie also said that his father never stopped him when he decided to move from Belfast to London to pursue acting in his young life. He said that very few parents, especially someone as successful as Jim, will tell their children to go for it.
