10 Actresses Who Might Have Played Anastasia Steele

Like the books before it, the film version of Fifty Shades of Grey is a bonafide hit, making more than $230 million in its opening weekend. Time will tell if this will be a boon to its relatively unknown female lead, Dakota Johnson, or if it will be another Showgirls-type misstep – if you recall, that sexy role pretty much nailed the coffin on Elizabeth Berkley’s career. By most reports, Johnson did a fine job with the material she was given, but she wasn’t the only talent that was considered for the role. Plenty of young ingenues in Hollywood were willing to bare body and soul for this controversial part, while others wouldn’t dream of it despite being pressured by fans and casting directors. Want to know who else was considered for the staring role? Here are 10 actresses who might have played Anastasia Steele.

1. Alexis Bledel

If fans had their way, Alexis Bledel of Gilmore Girls and Mad Men fame would have played Ana, hands down (and tied up). She does have that doe eyed innocence about her the character calls for, but can you really see sweet Rory Gilmore getting into BDSM? Fan polls and petitions pegged Bledel as the ideal Miss Steele along with Ian Somerhalder or Matt Bomer as Mr. Grey. Fake trailers and movie posters were even mocked up and circulated around the internet to push the point. Despite all the buzz about her, Bledel never really commented on all the hoopla and casting directors never officially offered her the role.