‘Fifty Shades’: Jamie Dornan, Billy Magnussen Audition For Christian Grey [Report]
Fifty Shades is quickly moving along in the Christian Grey casting process taking a look at Jamie Dornan and Billy Magnussen.
After the departure of Charlie Hunnam (Sons Of Anarchy) producers have to scramble to find the perfect actor to play billionaire magnate Christian Grey.
The Wrap is reporting the studio has brought in Irish heartthrob Jamie Dornan (The Fall) and Tony nominated actor Billy Magnussen to screen with Dakota Johnson who has been cast to play Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades.
According to the website, Australian actor Luke Bracey, who recently finished filming Me Him Her, is also in the mix as a possible Christian.
Universal and Focus were put in a pickle when Hunnam departed the production citing conflicting schedule with his hit series Sons Of Anarchy, which completes production on October 21.
Fifty Shades is set to beginning filming on November 1 and many think the schedule problem is not what made Charlie Hunnam leave, but rather not having enough say on the direction of the character after he made some notes on the script.
E.L. James’ novel Fifty Shades Of Grey is extremely popular, especially with women and has been dubbed “mommy porn” due to the graphic nature of the relationship between the innocent recent college graduate and the experienced business man and because women of all ages flocked to read it.
Focus might have a few more days to find their man, since the beginning of the story is more focused on Ana, often times filming is not done in chronological order.
The Wrap says that with the casting of Jennifer Ehle (Pride And Prejudice, BBC) in the role of Anastasia’s mother in Fifty Shades, the production could potentially begin filming the mother and daughter scenes first.
Insiders told the website that Hunnam was not really immersed in the production and that his manager Cynthia Pett was the one who pushed his name, after another of his clients Garrett Hedlund, didn’t pan out for Fifty Shades.
There is wide speculation Charlie Hunnam is too much of an established actor to play this role, with not only Sons Of Anarchy, but Pacific Rim, which grossed over $400 million.
Hunnam is also a script writer whose screenplay Vlad is in production at Summit and Brad Pitt’s company Plan B Entertainment. Naturally he made some observations on the Fifty Shades script, which were reportedly welcome by the studio at first.
When he wanted more involvement, the studio allegedly shut him down and that’s when things went south. Hunnam was also reportedly butting heads with director Sam Taylor-Johnson and for a $125,000 pay day he decided not to go forward with the project.
Jamie Dornan, who used to be a model, is 31-years-old and his career is just taking off. Billy Magnussen, 28, (the same age as Christian Grey) is also just becoming better known and has recently replaced Jake Gyllenhaal as Rapunzel’s Prince in the Disney production Into The Woods.
Fifty Shades is still holding off for an August 1, 2014 release date. Stay tuned for more information about the Christian Grey casting. Who is your choice?
