Actors Who Almost Starred in ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

Fifty Shades Freed opened on Friday with Jamie Dornan reprising his role as Christian Grey in the third film of the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, but he was not the first choice for the part.

Believe it or not, there were actually many other actors in line for the role before Dornan, but he emerged victorious.

He doesn’t plan on coming back for a fourth film, however, as when asked if the new movie, Fifty Shades Freed, will be the “last one,” Dornan said, “Um yeah, I think so.”

“I don’t think there’s any…I mean there’s no other books. [E.L. James] wrote the first two books again from Christian’s perspective, but I guess we’ve already seen…we’ve done those films, the same story, so they won’t do that again,” he continued.

“Unless Erica keeps writing, but Dakota [Johnson] and I are…particularly me, I’m gettin’ too old for…for this,” the 35-year-old actor added.

Maybe one of the other guys who were passed over the first time can step in if the studio decides to breathe more life into the franchise.

For now though, scroll down to see a list of actors who almost starred in Fifty Shades of Grey, as adapted from a Business Insider story. Some of the names just might surprise you.

Charlie Hunnam

Charlie Hunnam’s near-starring role in the film is easily the most famous, as it was a swirling controversy at the time.

The Sons of Anarchy star had actually been officially cast in the role of Christian Grey, but a wave of backlash ensued and an online petition even started demanding that he be dropped.

Eventually, Hunnam dropped out, citing “scheduling conflicts.” There were, however, also reports that he had been clashing with the studio over the script.

Garrett Hedlund

While Charlie Hunnam accepted the role and then dropped out, Garrett Hedlund straight-up turned the role of Christian Grey down.

“Hedlund was heavily courted by Universal, but the Tron: Legacy star passed in July because he couldn’t connect with the character,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The actor went on to star in Pan, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, and the Academy Award-nominated film Mudbound.

Ryan Gosling

Fifty Shades author E.L. James has said in the past that she used Ryan Gosling as the prototype for how she wrote the character of Christian Grey.

While there is no official word that he was ever formally offered the role of Grey, he was rumored to have turned down the role of Bruce Wayne in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice due to disliking sequels.

This would make it tough for him to be an integral part of the Fifty Shades franchise considering it was a three-film commitment from the beginning.

(It also brings up questions of whether or not he was just trying to get out of doing BvS considering that in 2017 he stared in Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to Blade Runner.)

Alex Pettyfer

Alex Pettyfer, who many will recognize as Adam “The Kid” from the first Magic Mike film, auditioned for the role of Christian Grey.

While he did not land the part, he did go on to star in Elvis & Nixon and the upcoming film The Last Witness.

Prior to his Fifty Shades of Grey audition, Pettyfer starred in I Am Number Four and Lee Daniels’ The Butler.

Matt Bomer

Matt Bomer does not appear to have ever been officially offered the role of Christian Grey, but he was a fan-favorite for the part.

At one point, an online petition asking that he be cast in the role had gathered nearly 100,000 signatures.

Bomer went on to star in Magic Mike XXL, The Nice Guys (with Ryan Gosling), and The Magnificent Seven remake.

Chace Crawford

Chace Crawford campaigned for the role of Christian Grey. The Gossip Girl actor was on the record as saying he would “love the challenge” of the character.

“I have not read the books, but what I know is that it is risqué, and to be honest, anything to shake up from the way I have been going would be good,” he also said, according to Fox News.

Crawford has since gone on to star in films such as 2017’s I Do…Until I Don’t, with Ed Helms and Amber Heard, the ABC TV series Blood & Oil.

Alexander Skarsgård

Alexander Skarsgård is obviously most well-known as vampire Eric Northman on HBO’s True Blood.

While there is no word on if he ever auditioned for the role, the actor reportedly once told Access Hollywood that he was “born to play” Christian Grey.

Skarsgård went on to star in several films, as well as the HBO series Big Little Lies, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film.

Ian Somerhalder

Ian Somerhalder has been acting since the late 1990s, but is typically most well-known for his roles on The Vampire Diaries and Lost.

He championed for the role of Christian Grey early on, reportedly once telling Ryan Seacrest that it “would be an incredible thing” to be cast, later adding, “Hopefully that could pan out.”

Somerhalder wrapped up The Vampire Diaries in 2017 and will next star in the film Time Framed.

“Anastasia Steele”

The role of Anastasia Steele did not have quite as much complexity surrounding it, but there were a couple of actresses who were considered.

Reportedly, Pretty Little Liars actress Lucy Hale auditioned for the role but said that it made her “uncomfortable.”

Chloe Bridges, from The Carrie Diaries, also auditioned but claimed the role was too risqué for her.

“The scene was, like, the girl telling her friends about some sexcapade she had,” Bridges explained. “But it goes into extreme detail and uses the word ‘sperm’ a couple times. I was like, ‘I don’t know, guys, I have to go home to my grandparents’ house in a few months at Christmas; I don’t know if I can do this.’ “

Ultimately, the role went to Dakota Johnson, who had only previously had minor roles in 21 Jump Street and The Social Network. The franchise has since catapulted her into A-list stardom.