Well, this is one way to break yourself out of being typecast. After a massive hacking job stole several sensitive documents from various celebrities recently, I was waiting for some more Scarlett Johanssen style nude selfies to pop up online. Instead, we get the news that Emma Watson is the likely lead in the big screen adaptation of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. The documents surfaced from hacked accounts belonging to Constantin Film and claimed Universal was casting Hermione Granger as Anastasia in the “mommy porn” bestseller.
USA Today received comment from Universal claiming “No one has been cast yet”, but that does not mean much. The fact these documents were never meant to be seen combined with rumors that Watson was in the running for the role lend some credence to the story. I for one think it is a bad move for the actress. Since wrapping the HARRY POTTER franchise, Watson has been in varied roles, including THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER and upcoming parts in Seth Rogen‘s THIS IS THE END and Sofia Coppola‘s THE BLING RING. Appearing in FIFTY SHADES would certainly prove she is not to be typecast but could also be a step back for her credibility as an actress.
I could go on a hate spree about FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and TWILIGHT and how awful they are both to literature and cinema, but to publishing and Hollywood they are goldmines. There is zero chance of Emma Watson garnering an Oscar nomination for appearing in this project, but she would certainly cement her lead actress status if the movie is a box office success. But, who are we kidding? A FIFTY SHADES OF GREY movie is guaranteed to crack $100 million as a minimum when it gets made. The question remains though, will Universal own up to this leak and announce this officially?