'50 Shades of Grey' Casting Secrets Exposed: See Who Was Considered Before Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson

There was so much weight behind the “50 Shades” casting process that the final decision would spawn discouragement. For months, fans speculated on who would nab the sultry roles and spent hours on end daydreaming, participating in fan polls and creating homemade trailers. They devoted their lives to their favorite candidates, convincing themselves to believe that there was no other option.

Now that Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam have been cast as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, heartbroken fans are looking for answers. Why weren’t their favorites cast? How could months of hype amount to nothing? What happened to heavily favored power duo of Matt Bomer and Alexis Bledel? Finally, as the initial shock of the announcement has worn off, inside details of casting deliberations slowly begin to trickle out.

As it turns out, Ryan Gosling was the original prototype to play Christian, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Unfortunately for E. L. James and Gosling admirers worldwide, he wasn’t interested. Garrett Hedlund was next on the bill, but he too passed when he was unable to connect to the character.

And then came Hunnam. He was originally reluctant to take the role, but finally agreed on August 23 after meeting with director Sam Taylor-Johnson and producers Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti.

As for Anastasia, James’ originally had her eye on Shailene Woodley. Although the actress was willing to indulge in the nudity and explicit sex scenes, she had conflicting press obligations for the would-be franchise of “Divergent.” There were other actors and actressed in contention, however, none of them, other than Felicity Jones, were those most heavily favored. Bomer and Bledel, for example, were never actively persued. They were nothing more than products of fan speculation.

As the “50 Shades of Grey” craze continues, more and more details are bound the surface. The premiere is still 11 months away, providing fans with ample time to dig up the truth while simultaneously keeping up with production and all the juicy rumors that will inevitably follow. The “50 Shades” train will never stop, despite scrutiny or discouragement, so it’s best to hop onboard.