Fans of British author E.L. James' bestselling erotic thriller '50 Shades of Grey' should count out British actress Keira Knightley as a potential contender for the role of Anastasia Steele. During a recent interview with MTV the 27-year-old actress said that she wants no part in the highly anticipated film.
"No, it's not. It's not going to be '50 Shades of Grey.' You know, I normally don't like to give a definite about anything, [but] I can definitely say that it will not be '50 Shades of Grey," Knightley told MTV.
The 'Anna Karenina' star added, "I can't imagine why! Um, I haven't even read it yet, actually. I mean just from, friends who've gotten into it, and I've gone, 'No.' I did 'A Dangerous Method.' That had a bit of all that in it. I don't think I need to do it again."
In the film 'A Dangerous Method,' Knightley plays Sabrina Spielrein, who was a patient of and later worked with Carl Gustav Jung. The film shows Spielrein in a sexual relationship with Jung (Michael Fassbender), similar in nature to the relationship between Anastasia and Christian Grey.
Speculation over who will play the film's lead female character has taken a backseat to rumors about lead male character Christian Grey. A recent poll by Latinos Post revealed that fans overwhelmingly want 'Gilmore Girls' actress Alexis Bledel to play the coveted role of Anastasia Steele, with 58.89 percent of the votes. Bledel is followed not so closely behind by Emilia Clarke at 9.85 percent and Nina Dobrev 7.07 percent.
Casting speculations have run rampant since Universal Pictures and Focus Films purchased the rights to the film earlier this year. The film currently counts on producers Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti as well as screenwriter Kelly Marcel ('Terra Nova').
Universal Pictures and Focus Films have yet to announce a theatrical release for the first film in the series, '50 Shades of Grey.'