USA TODAY International Edition
‘ Shades of Grey’ stars now in black and white
Lead roles in adaptation go to Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam
Two of the most sought- after roles in Hollywood have been filled.
Dakota Johnson will star as Anastasia Steele and Charlie Hunnam as Christian Grey in the highly anticipated film adaptation of the erotically charged novel Fifty Shades of Grey.
Author E. L. James announced the news Monday morning in a number of bombshell tweets. She started with Johnson, the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. Distributor Focus Features confirmed it shortly thereafter.
“I am delighted to let you know that the lovely Dakota Johnson has agreed to be our Anastasia in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey,” the first tweet said, ending months of breathless speculation.
Moments later James wrote, “The gorgeous and talented Charlie Hunnam will be Christian Grey in the film adaptation.”
The announcements were the first for the movie based on the international best seller, which will be released on Aug. 1, 2014.
The film adaptation is being directed by Sam Taylor- Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside James.
Johnson had a memorable but minor role in 2010’ s The Social Network, for which De Luca and Brunetti were producers.
Her subsequent roles include Need for Speed, 21 Jump Street and The Five- Year Engagement. She also played Kate in the 2012- 13 comedy series Ben and Kate and is now shooting a new adaptation of Cymbeline.
British actor Hunnam plays Jackson “Jax” Teller on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. His feature- film credits include Pacific Rim, Cold Mountain and Nicholas Nickleby.
For months, speculation has raged about who would play the two leads. The other possibilities for Anastasia — a clumsy, innocent college student who enters into a highly erotic relationship with Grey — included Emma Watson, Shailene Woodley and Analeigh Tipton.
The Watson rumors were so strong that she took to Twitter in March, writing, “Who here actually thinks I would do 50 Shades of Grey as a movie? Like really. For real. In real life.
“Good. Well that’s that sorted then,” she wrote.
There has been similar excitement about billionaire businessman Grey, who has an affinity for kinky sex. Rumors have swirled around Matt Bomer, Ian Somerhalder, Henry Cavill, Alex Pettyfer, Robert Pattinson and Alexander Skarsgard.
The Lone Ranger’s Armie Hammer told Playboy in June that he had discussed the part with his agent but dismissed the notion quickly.
“I’m not going to sit on top of the laundry machine in spin cycle reading about putting a ball gag in someone’s mouth. That doesn’t do it for me,” Hammer told the magazine.
As reaction to the announcement rolled in Monday, James took it all in stride. “To all the supporters, lovers and haters — thank you so much for the passion that you have for this project,” she tweeted. “You all rock. All of you.”