'The Vampire Diaries' very own Ian Somerhalder has broken his silence about continued rumors regarding his possible involvement as Christian Grey in the film adaptation of E. L. James' '50 Shades of Grey.' The 33-year-old actor opened up to Mr.Porter and said that the rumors were "just talk."
"Oh man, there's nothing official," the actor said when asked about the coveted role. The Louisiana native has been among those touted to play the role of lead character Christian Grey in the erotic thriller.
Somerhalder also teased that he was outfitting his basement as a sex dungeon to prepare for the role. The actor joked, "Yeah, there's a website you can go to where you can just outfit your basement as a dungeon. So, you know, I thought I'd get prepared, just in case."
The actor, who's also known for his role on the show 'Lost,' faces fierce competition for the sought-after lead. Fellow actors Matt Bomer, Henry Cavill, Michael Fassbender and Nicholas Hoult join Somerhalder in the running for top fan pick.
In the newest poll by Latinos Post, 'White Collar' actor Matt Bomer, who was chosen by a landslide 72 percent of the votes, overtook Somerhalder as the best choice for Christian Grey. Somerhalder came in second, with close to 13 percent of the votes, and was followed by a distant 3.8 percent by Henry Cavill.
Casting for the role opposite Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele, has also not been filled. The list of actresses favored by fans for the lead female role include, Jennifer Lawrence, Mila Kunis, Nina Dobrev, Emma Watson and Alexis Bledel. Fans have also mentioned actresses Emilia Clarke, Lucy Hale, Elizabeth Olsen, Amanda Seyfried and Shailene Woodley.
The latest Anastasia Steele poll overwhelming found former 'Gilmore Girls' actress Alexis Bledel to be a top pick, with over 58 percent of the votes. 'The Hunger Games' actress Jennifer Lawrence, came in second with close to 11 percent of the votes, and was followed by Mila Kunis with 7 percent of the votes.
Somerhalder's off-screen girlfriend and on-screen 'The Vampire Diaries' costar, Nina Dobrev, was once the top pick for the lead role.
It is unlikely that casting decision will be made any time soon. The film, which is still in the pre-production phase, recently hired screenwriter Kelly Marcel ('Terra Nova') to write the script. Universal Pictures and Focus films, which purchased the rights to '50 Shades of Grey' earlier this year, count Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti as the film's producers.
A release date for the first film in the series has yet to be announced.