As of Saturday afternoon, Charlie Hunnam officially dropped out of "50 Shades Of Grey." The official statement references Hunnam's "immersive TV schedule" as reason for the departure, but considering the studio had to increase Hunnam's security detail following backlash to his casting, there's considerable suspicion that he may have just gotten cold feet.
Fans can also wish Charlie the best, and then start day-dreaming about all the shirtless men who might get the next shot at satisfying the mildly aggressive "50 Shades" fan base. For their consideration, and yours, here are eight actors HuffPost Entertainment would endorse as co-stars opposite Dakota Johnson in the "50 Shades of Grey" movie.
1. Ryan Gosling
Sure, Gosling is mostly known for his rain-kissing prowess and letter-writing abilities, but Nicolas Winding Refn has totally exposed his violent side in "Only God Forgives" and "Drive," and he's a top fan choice for the Christian Grey role. The only problem? Gosling already turned down "50 Shades of Grey" producers. Semantics!
2. Matt Bomer
The Texan actor is known for his roles in "White Collar" and "Magic Mike," which means we can confidently say that he can look good in a suit jacket ... and without. According to the Daily Mail, the English actor is next in line for the part. (Bomer was also at the focus of a fan petition following Hunnam's casting.)
3. Ian Somerhalder
As Damon Salvatore in "The Vampire Diaries," Somerhalder has already logged almost 100 episodes fulfilling submissive female fantasies. There's already at least one listicle explaining why he shouldn't play Christian, but the Twitter masses are stacked in his favor. (Sommerhalder was diplomatic about missing out on the role in a recent interview with HuffPost Live.)
4. Alexander Skarsgård Fun fact: The "True Blood" star had not even heard of "50 Shades" until a reporter asked him about the role of Christian Grey. Although at 37, he's a bit old for the part, that Swedish blood easily creates the illusion that he's in his late 20's. It's also really important to note that he has the same hair as that creep from the "300 Sandwiches" couple.
5. Robert Pattinson
Apparently vampiric characters and BDSM are a match well made. Pattinson is rumored to have been the E.L. James' first choice for the role, but sources say he turned it down.
6. Armie Hammer
Grey would be a bit "against-type" for Hammer, as the Daily Beast notes, but he worked with the "50 Shades" producers when he played the Wiklevii in "The Social Network." Unfortunately, scheduling could be a problem as he's currently shooting "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." for Warner Bros.
7. Michael Fassbender
Well, Michael is no stranger to full-frontal nudity. When Chris Pine confronted rumors he was booked for the role, he denied the rumors saying: “I’m not doing it, no. I don’t possess a Michael Fassbender deep desire to let it all [hang out].” Also, someone made this Facebook page supporting him.
8. Alex Pettyfer
Another "Magic Mike" alum, Pettyfer started his career as a model. At the very least, he'd be nice to look at. Although, strangely enough, he recently admitted to being embarrassed by nudity.
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