Ahh, I can hear women all around the world, spanking themselves with their paperback copies of ?Fifty Shades of Grey?, after they heard the shocking casting news, straight from the books? author, E.L. James on Twitter.
Portraying Dominant Christian Grey and Submissive Anastasia Steele, (or if you like, the virgin and her masochistic lover are Dakota Johnson (daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson) and Charlie Hunnam (from Sons of Anarchy).
Johnson is 23 years old, five years older than her mother when she first bared it all in her film ?Night Moves? in 1975. Even her dad got it on in 1973?s ?The Harrad Experiment?, costarring Dakota?s grandma, Tippi Hendren. So nudity is a family affair!
Dirty old man Hunnan, at 33, will look especially creepy next to Johnson in “Fifty Shades of Grey” as he will be required to tie her to bedposts, make her obey his every command and use some weird beads in her nether regions, all without breaking a sweat. The casting of this film has been the subject of Hollywood legend since the rights for the film adaptation were bought last year.
Originally, (and how I wish it would have happened), Robert Pattinson was E.L. James? first choice to play the role, but I guess the image of a frigid vampire wouldn't go over well with audiences who are expecting a horny businessman in the lead role of Christian. Other actors in the running were Ian Somerhalder and Garrett Hedlund.
As for the ladies, originally, Kiera Knightly and Emilia Clarke were considered, and with Knightly being a name known for tussling with pirates that look like Johnny Depp, who knows if she would want to attach herself to a movie that could potentially damage her career?
This movie could be hugely successful or go horribly wrong. Every time Hollywood tries to make a movie that is exclusively about sex, it gets slammed by critics and moviegoers. I still shudder at the horror that was ?Nine 1/2 Weeks? and ?Showgirls?. I still can't see what those movie classics did for the careers of Mickey Rourke, Kim Bassinger and Elizabeth Berkley?
Hell, the only credible actors in the ?Showgirls? cast were Gina Gershon and Kyle Maclachlan, and the only one that made it to the big time was Carrie Ann Inaba (Dancing with the Stars)! Yeah, that's right; she was Goddess Dancer #1. Let's hope that Hunnam and Johnson do a better job. Some things, like living out a books fantasy in your head, are better left on paper. I just don't think I want to see Johnson trussed up like a turkey just yet!
Martii Newsom says
I like Jax (check Sons of Anarchy) and believe the casting will work. My biggest disappointment is having to buy three books.