- Whoa!!! Charlie Hunnam just dropped out of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie and now they have to find a new Christian Grey. They’re saying his TV show schedule will not allow him enough time to prepare for his role, however sources are mentioning “cold feet” from the incredible amount of attention he’s garnered. Check out the article I read on Hollywood Reporter, here. The above tweeted screenshot from author E.L. James appears to confirm this.
- Here’s an older article (on IBTimes) indicating the actor’s initial struggles with the role. (sidenote —> I get that. My husband and I were discussing just how BIG this role (and the expectations) will be and I can’t imagine the kind of attention (good and bad) he must have been getting since the announcement).
“We had a couple long creative conversations about what the role was, what it meant,” Sutter said. “He [Hunnam] struggled with it because obviously there’s a lot of noise around that role. There’s a lot of predetermined expectations.”“Sutter’s comments follow recent reports that Hunnam was considering dropping out of the film, specifically due to fans’ protests and a petition to get the series’ author E.L. James to recast.”
- Speaking of “attention” he was getting, apparently he was receiving lingerie from fans, on his doorstep! IBTimes also reports it (using a quote from his neighbors and what they’ve seen)…
- Here’s an article from a couple of days ago on Entertainment Weekly featuring a quote where Charlie discusses his upcoming role… (and a few personal comments from the cast members of his current show Sons of Anarchy, where it is mentioned how seriously Charlie is taking this role).
“There are so many fans of that book, and I know that on the surface, I’m probably not what everybody imagined. Because reading is so personal and people bring a character to life in their imagination, they feel ownership over that character. That’s daunting if I allowed myself to think about it too much. I’m taking it very seriously and intend to explore the nature of who this character is, what motivates him-and also dress up nice and look good in those suits,” he said.
- Actress Jennifer Ehle will be playing “Anastasia’s” mother in the movie. Read the article at “The Guardian” here.
“The character, Carla May Wilks, is described as a flighty and self-centred woman who enjoys turning her hobbies into ill-fated business schemes.”
- Rumors for other character casting… “Chris Hemsworth as Elliot Grey and Blake Lively as Kate Kavanagh” (here on IBTimes). Those roles have yet to be officially announced. But just for “opinion’s sake”, I think it works! 😉
- And while I’m not getting much on Dakota Johnson (aka “Anastasia Steele”) regarding her upcoming movie role, I did find this fun article on Yahoo Canada where her mother Melanie Griffith “dishes” on her daughter’s reactions to the whole thing (and a few personal comments from her about her daughter, too):
“… the only thing she said was, ‘Please just make me do the dishes when I go home. I want everything to stay really normal,'” Melanie revealed. “I mean, she’s really got her head on her shoulders. It’s really nice.”
- Opposing Views posted about the funny Saturday Night Live videos of the Fifty Shades of Grey “casting process”. They’ve even linked up to the video skit.
- And I know a ton of our fellow readers wanted Matt Bomer for the role of Christian Grey, but he’s been really good at keeping his interest or disinterest tightly locked up. This article from a few days ago on Entertainment Weekly indicates only this, from him:
“At the premiere of the fifth season of White Collar, Bomer told ETonline, “I’m so grateful for the fans and touched. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie with Charlie and Dakota.”
Sooo disappointed to see this latest development. My first instinct was he was the right choice. I hope EL James and those making the selection stay focused on who they choose next. It really needs to be someone who has the whole package. No Charlie:((( that just sucks huge.
I’m truly devastated. 🙁
I thought he was a good choice for the role 🙁 Hopefully they can find someone who will do the part justice.
Poor Charlie…I didn’t see him as Christian but I love him as an actor on SOA. Lets see who they get now and quickly unless they push the release date. 🙁
I kind of have that “Poor Charlie” feeling going on, too. I can’t imagine how HUGE this was for him. That role is just SO BIG!
At first I was a little disappointed in the choice of actors but after thinking about it for a day I decided they (the studios and directors) know what they are doing. Since then, him being Christian has grown on me and now I’m sad about it changing.
I didn’t mind him as Christian, but they need to recast Ana. I have a feeling the movie is going to bomb.
Crazy surprising. That would have been the role of a lifetime.
That is bad :/ i hope they find a new Christian Grey! Me personally think that Matt Bomer would make a perfect Christian Grey. When i read the book it i imagined Mr.Grey kind of like Matt. I couldn’t see the face in my head while i was reading the book, obly the body and how he dressed but then i saw Matt and i thought he would make an awsome Christian, but also would Charlie :/ wellwell
I’m sad. I’ll be honest, at first I wasn’t thrilled with the casting choices, but after really paying attention to him & watching him on Sons, & in interviews, I thought he would be great. I hope it’s really that he’s busy, and not the crazies harassing him making him do this. I heard he had death threats. Come on people, it’s a movie, not a world tragedy for him to be cast. Sad day for us Charlie fans.
I can imagine with this much exposure and how intense some were over the casting, that he’s definitely received some not-so-nice comments or reactions…
lingerie on his doorstep!!!!! that cracked me up! 😉
I’m disappointed too, as I really like the actor. I hope the casting director considers Scott Eastwood. He’s super hot and looks like what I imagine mr. Grey should look like.
Ok, so truth be told… When I first heard about the casting for 50, I was disappointed, 2 actors I had relatively no knowledge of??? How could they ever portrayed my beloved 50 characters? But instead of becoming a nay sayer I did some research, and I. Fell. In. Love. With. Charlie. I am sure he would’ve done the part incredibly well, and I am sincerely sad that he has backed out of the deal. I feel he is exactly what we needed to play Christian. Feeling sad.
This is terrible news. I was looking forward to him being Christian Grey.
I haven’t read the 50 Shades books (I know, gasp!) so I really don’t have an opinion either way, but I will say that if he bowed out of the role because of all the crap people were saying then that is just terrible. Poor guy, he wasn’t even given a chance! 🙁
Amy!!!! Read it!!!! OMG I LOVE this series. There is a part in book #2 that BROKE me!!!! MUST MUST READ if you like intense romance and intense angst.
Here’s my review of book #1 to give you an idea… https://www.maryse.net/books/book-review-fifty-shades-of-grey-by-e-l-james.html
Broke you? As in crying? Aw crap. Is this payback for WIR?? 😉 Alright, I’ll give it a read after the book I’m on right now. I love me some intense angst! Seriously though, if I cry…
i was just starting to get use to charlie as christian, i couldnt get my head around it, i like most ppl saw matt bomer as christian hopefully they get somebody soon 🙂
Amy… it was… to me… amazingly intense in that scene. LOTS of scenes are super-intense, but by then… after book #1 and then up to that point in book #2, totally TOTALLY had me. I was already 100% IN, and SO into him, but this specific scene I didn’t see coming…
I am really sad that Charlie is not playing Christian. I think he would have done an excellent job in this role. I absolutely love him in SOA. 🙁
Okay, I get it now. I can handle intense. I’ve been craving that the last few books (didn’t get it though, dangit!), so I am looking forward to it – and bracing myself for book 2. Delicious, lol.
I’ve only read the first book in the FSoG-trilogy and I have to say I didn’t like it very much, so never read the last two installments. However, based on the first book, I think they would have to come up with a pretty good script to make this story work on the big screen.
With SoA, Charlie Hunnam is definitely on the way up: a controversial project like FSoG could be a career breaker to him. I can see why he backed out.
He would have done a great job. only started watching sons of anarchy after he was cast now i’m hooked! Ahh well i think he decided he wasn’t willing to give up his private life to the mass hysteria that Fifty Shades will bring.
I love Charlie and think he is a fabulous actor, but I never saw him as a good fit when cast as Christian. I hope he has made this decision because it’s what he feels is best for himself and his career, not because of some whacky fan or industry reactions. So now who??? I still see Ian Somerhalder in my head! But now that I’m thinking about Matt Bomer, I think he would be a great casting choice too. His onscreen presence is very engaging, he does that powerful business exec persona well, and he’s HOT, so I think he could work it!
I can’t see why they just don’t cast Robert Pattinson for the role! It was written with him in mind, hense the grey eyes and copper highlight! While they are at it, they should also recast Ana’s role….just my opinion!
I think Charlie would have made a great Christian and am VERY SAD that he has backed out….but can’t blame him one bit if he thought it was best for him and his career. Now, I need to go watch all the Sons of Anarchy shows to get my fill!!
I’m more than stoked that he is out!! I”ve seen his acting and just like his looks it is nothing to get excited about. Now can E.L James and the rest of them choose someone who personifies Christian Grey-aka sex on legs! Don’t like their choice of Ana either…unless they make some huge changes I won’t be wasting my time nor my money to watch this movie and I know loads of people who feel the same way!!