'50 Shades of Grey' Actors Announced

After months of speculation, the producers of the film adaptation of "50 Shades of Grey" have finally announced the names of the actors who will play the story's two lead characters. Rumors had surrounded the casting process since the film project was announced, and the producers' final choices have surprised some commentators.

The role of the kinky erotic tale's heroine, the naïve Anastasia Steele, will be played by Dakota Johnson, the daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. Johnson, 24, most recently starred in the Fox sitcom "Ben and Kate," and she also had roles in "The Social Network" and "21 Jump Street."

The movie's male lead, Christian Grey, will be played by Charlie Hunnam, 33, who is best known for his role in the biker-gang drama "Sons of Anarchy" on FX.

Plenty of names had been floating around in connection with the roles, but it was not clear if any of them had ever actually been in negotiations with the film's producers. Chris Evans ("The Avengers") and Alexander Skarsgard ("True Blood") were on some fans' wish lists, but it's possible that many A- and B-list actors were reluctant to take on the controversial project. A few actors, including Emma Watson ("Harry Potter") and Armie Hammer ("The Lone Ranger"), publically dismissed the notion that they'd be willing to star in the movie.