Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes) is an orphan that inherited a large amount of money and a house from its grandfather, that recently died. He is greeted by Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), a talented painter that knew and worked for Dorian's grandfather. Dorian Gray meets Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth) at a party and this sets the wheels in motion. Innocent, young and handsome, Dorian Gray is lured into Lord Wotton's way of thinking even though, he had met a young theatre performer, Sybil Vane (Rachel Hurd-Wood) which he falls in love with. Lord Wotton's way of thinking is that of a life of pleasure, doing whatever is needed in order to satisfy one's deepest desires. Basil creates a vivid painting of Dorian Gray, a painting that soon starts to decompose as the young man starts to cover his soul with shameful and gruesome acts.