As soon as Universal Pictures won the motion-picture rights to the best-selling BDSM-themed trilogy "Fifty Shades Of Grey," Internet users began fantasy casting their favorite actors for the lead roles of dominant billionaire Christian Grey and virginal college student Anastasia Steele.
Since the trilogy evolved from "Twilight" fan fiction, Twihards naturally want to see Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson reprise their roles as Bella and Edward, but with whips, chains and no fangs.
Thankfully, the on- and off-screen couple haven't expressed an explicit interest in the film.
“I haven’t read the book yet -- so I don’t know,” Stewart told Celebuzz when asked if she could picture herself and Pattinson playing these roles, and it bodes well that she could barely get through a short passage from the book when asked to read it aloud for MTV's Josh Horowitz.
But given the book's amazing success, it's not surprising that there are more than a few actors in Hollywood ready to sign on to what could very well be the next "Twilight."
"Pretty Little Liars" star Ashley Benson is the latest celebrity to express an interest in the film. The 22-year-old, who has been trying to "break out of her good-girl mold," working on edgy films like "Spring Breakers," told Celebuzz she'd love to nab the role of Anastasia Steele.
“I’ve read every book. I want to play Anastasia,” Benson told the website.
Though the bubbly blonde doesn't quite match the book's description of Anastasia -- "a pale, brown haired girl with blue eyes too big for her face," -- she's still dead set on the role (she can dye her hair, after all), even though her fans have been aiming for her to be cast as Anastasia's best friend, Katherine Kavanagh.
"Kate is awesome. I like all the characters, but Anastasia? I love her so much!" she explained.
Likewise, "Vampire Diaries" star Ian Somerhalder also voiced a strong interest in playing the male lead. Last month, he told Ryan Seacrest he would "absolutely" be up for taking on the role of Christian Grey. "It could be very, very amazing. I have the book and I just started reading it. That would be a pretty incredible thing, and hopefully that could pan out," he said. "Beyond the shadow of a doubt, I think that would be a phenomenal opportunity!"
The sexiest vampire on "True Blood," Alexander Skarsgard, had never heard of the explosive, erotic series just a few weeks ago. But when he was asked if he would be interested in playing the copper-haired billionaire whose estate includes a "red room of pain," Skarsgard's interest was definitely piqued.
"Where do I sign? He's got a sex chamber? My character [Eric Northman] has that on ‘True Blood.' He's got his little dungeon. I was born to play that part," he told reporters at a press junket for his new movie "Battleship."
Other haven't been quite so enthusiastic, but admit it would be a hard role to turn down. "This Means War" star Chris Pine recently told "Access Hollywood," "It’d be a hell of a choice for me, I think it sounds like an interesting film.
And while Selena Gomez hasn't expressed interest in the part, some have wondered if her recent Funny of Die parody of the book, was in fact an audition tape of sorts.
Who should play Christian and Anastasia?
