‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’: How Were Charlie Hunnam And Dakota Johnson Picked?

Now that we finally know who will play the leads in the erotic novel adaptation Fifty Shades Of Grey, details are surfacing as to what took place behind the scenes when Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson were selected to play the roles.

According to The Wrap, which was one of the first outlets to attach Dakota’s name to the project, both actors had to audition and then do a “chemistry read” for producers, which means, doing a scene on video.

Even if you cast the ideal looks for the parts, your actors have to have chemistry on screen for it to work.

Both parts are risky for an actor and due to the graphic nature of the story, producers needed someone who didn’t have problems with frontal nudity. Reportedly, many actresses turned down the role because of that reason.

Dakota Johnson has no problems showing off her fit body, which makes her ideal for Fifty Shades Of Grey’s Anastasia Steele.

The Wrap states a source calls Johnson, ambitious and wiling to do pretty much anything to be cast in one of the most anticipated movies in recent years.

She has her mind set on being just as famous as her parents, Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, according to the same source.

As for Charlie Hunnam’s casting, it was a bit more complicated. According to a source at Focus Features who is close to the project, a cable TV star had been cast as Christian Grey earlier but later changed his mind.

TwitchFilm reported on August 20, that Hunnam was the top choice to play Grey, but he wouldn’t commit without knowing who would be his co-star.

Charlie Hunnam had to do several scenes with different actresses according to insiders and finally, when they had secured Johnson, he felt more comfortable taking on the role.

Now, the film is slated to open on August 1, 2014, so it seems that they need to get things moving. In essence that is correct, but producers have said that an erotic movie doesn’t take that long to shoot. There are no action scenes that need special effects, they only need to get it right in the bedroom.

Both actors have reportedly signed on to multiple movies in the hopes that the adaptation takes off and they are able to produce the E.L. James’ other two books in the series, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

Charlie Hunnam is tied up with Sons Of Anarchy until October, according to The Wrap, but one can assume there are no scheduling conflicts.

Fifty Shades Of Grey is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson.