It looks like fans of E.L. James' bestselling erotic novel-turned movie "50 Shades of Grey," can add yet another actress to the growing list of Anastasia Steele contenders. "Side Effects" actress Rooney Mara set the casting rumor mill a flutter after a recent interview with The Daily Beast.
"I'm interested in the duality of people," the 27-year-old told the website about her character choices. "I have a lot of darkness and frenetic energy inside myself, so it's easier for me to portray people with shades of gray." The comment, which referred to the multiplicity of layers her chosen characters have, had several wondering if she was actually talking about the coveted role in "50 Shades."
Rooney, who was catapulted to fame with her performance as Lisbeth Salander in the film adaptation "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," may in fact have several qualities that would make her apt for the role. "The '50 Shades of Grey' movie will probably call for at least a few nude scenes, and Rooney has plenty of experience in this area," Gather Entertainment wrote. "She also has large eyes like Ana and could probably pull off playing a 21-year-old."
However, the New York native will have to face some tough competition from some fan-favorite contenders, including Emilia Clarke ('Game of Thrones'), Felicity Jones ("Like Crazy") and Alexis Bledel ('Gilmore Girls'). In the recent fan poll by Latinos Post, the three actresses were close to a three-way tie, with about a 65-vote difference between Clarke (273 votes) and Bledel (208 votes). British actress Jones came in second with 227 votes.
Despite continued talk over who will take the lead of shy, collegiate Anastasia Steele and her BDSM millionaire partner Christian Grey, the production team has at least two major stepping stones to reach before casting begins. James and her screenwriter Kelly Marcel have told reporters that deciding on a director and finishing the script must be done before any casting decisions are made.
Marcel joined producers Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti in the film's production in October. The film, which was purchased by Universal Pictures and Focus Films in early 2012, has not established a released date yet.