I mentioned this previously, but I finally got around to seeing Fifty Shades of Grey when it came on HBO a few months ago. It was not as terrible as I thought it was going to be, nor was it as terrible as it could have been. Director Sam Taylor-Johnson and screenwriter Kelly Marcel did an admirable job fleshing out the Ana Steele character and giving her some sense of agency. The problem with the movie was that there really was very little heat between Christian and Ana, and that Jamie Dornan often came across as wooden and uncomfortable. But what’s done is done, even if Dornan is #NotMyChristian (props to John Oliver).
Last fall, I also read the original book trilogy… for research. Because I knew I was going to be covering the film sequels and I wanted to have some sense of what was going on and what my level of annoyance should be. There were two big roles yet to be cast: that of Jack Hyde, the sketchball villain of the last two books and Elena Lincoln, Christian’s first lover and the woman who introduced him to the S&M lifestyle. There’s been some dream-casting hopes for major A-list talent for those roles, like Henry Cavill and Charlize Theron. Not so much. But producers did deliver a very intriguing casting choice for Elena: Kim Basinger!
Universal has now locked in its first new cast member to join its highly successful “Fifty Shades of Grey” franchise, with production set to start this spring. Kim Basinger is set to play the key role of Elena Lincoln, Christian Grey’s Business partner and former lover in E.L James’ “Fifty Shades Darker,” sources tell Variety.
Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are returning to reprise their roles of Anastasia Steele and Grey, respectively, with James Foley taking over directing reigns. Luke Grimes, Eloise Mumford and Max Martini are also returning to the cast, with Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti producing along with James and Marcus Viscidi. Niall Leonard and James are penning the script.
The character of Lincoln was hinted at in the first installment, setting the stage for a big reveal in the second. Universal is planning to shoot “Fifty Shades Darker” and the final pic, “Fifty Shades Freed,” back-to-back, so it was important to lock down cast before production began on the sequel.
Basinger has long been dismissed as just a formerly “hot” woman who could never really act, but I’ve always enjoyed her as an actress and I think she was truly underrated when she was younger. I think this is a great role for her, mostly for the same reason I like the fact that Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden took the small role as Christian’s mom: they’re getting talented women over the age of 50 on the screen. In the books, Elena is a manipulative, judgy a—hole and I think it will be a fun role for Kim to embrace. This is surprisingly great casting.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
