Robert Pattinson '50 Shades of Grey' Casting: He Was First Choice for Christian Grey Role, Screenwriter Reveals
Not long after actor Charlie Hunnam was announced to play the role of Christian Grey in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey, novelist and screenwriter Bret Easton Ellis told his Twitter followers Monday that Robert Pattinson was author E.L. James' first choice to play the lead role.
James revealed the casting news via Twitter, stating that the British Sons of Anarchy star will play the role of Grey while Ben & Kate actress Dakota Johnson will play his love interest, Anastasia Steele. That same day Ellis (screenwriter for The Canyons) made a revelation himself, saying that James wanted to cast someone else originally for the role of Grey.
"Talked to E.L. James at a party over the summer: her first choice for Christian was Rob Pattinson," Ellis tweeted. "E.L. James and I were at Rob Pattinson's house when she admitted that Rob was first choice for Christian. When E.L. James asked me who I thought should be Christian I said 'James Deen, of course,' and then she shoved me. We were both very wasted."
Ellis added that other names mentioned in connection to the role were never considered for the role of Christian Grey. He tweeted, "Matt Bomer was never in the running," and "Ian Somerhalder never in running."
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Producer Michael De Luca tweeted on Monday that Johnson and Hunnam showed great promise together from the start: "Auditions were stunning, incredible chemistry!"
Universal and Focus acquired the rights to the three books in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy in March 2012. Focus Features will distribute the first film in partnership with Universal. Fifty Shades of Grey will be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy), based off the adapted script by Kelly Marcel (Terra Nova). The movie is set to be released on Aug. 1, 2014.
