Charlie Hunnam has built a reputation as one of Hollywood’s smoldering, magnetic leading men, but it was his cheeky charm that first opened the door to acting — and nearly cost him his most iconic role years later.

Speaking candidly in Variety ’s “ Geordie or Not Geordie ” video, the Newcastle-born star revealed that his very first acting opportunity came on a whim while shopping on Christmas Eve as a teenager. “I’d already started pursuing hopefully a career in film by going to film school and studying film,” Hunnam said, reflecting on his early ambitions. At just 18 years old, Hunnam was wandering through JD Sports when he playfully blew a kiss to a woman watching him try on sneakers. That woman, Elizabeth Binns, turned out to be a production manager for the local TV drama “Byker G

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