On Labor Day, E.L. James, author of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, announced Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson as the lead actors in the book's upcoming film adaptation. Since the announcement, there has been plenty of response from enthusiastic fans.

No matter their reactions, however, it seems Hunnam of FX's "Sons of Anarchy" and Johnson of 21 Jump Street are set in stone to play Christian Grey and Anastasia "Ana" Steele, respectively. They were not always guaranteed for the roles, however. Several actors turned down parts in Fifty Shades of Grey before Hunnam and Johnson were selected.

According to Business Insider, Ryan Gosling, star of 2010's Drive, was one of James' top choices to play Christian. Rumors have it that the decision was made because Gosling does not do sequels. Fifty Shades of Grey is expected to have two sequels, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, in order to correlate with the book series.

Garrett Hedlund was also apparently under consideration to portray the erotic businessman known as Grey. Hedlund, who starred in 2010's TRON: Legacy, passed on the role because he could not relate to the character, The Hollywood Reporter said.

Also under consideration was British actor Christian Cooke, former star of "Where the Heart Is."

Meanwhile, Johnson also had competition to beat in order to become Anastasia. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Felicity Jones of Britain's "The Worst Witch" was under consideration until it was determined that she her look was too old (Jones is 30) to portray the 21-year-old Anastasia.

Shailene Woodley was almost Anastasia as well. Woodley who starred in "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" was even willing to shoot nude scenes for the film. Her duties to promote Divergent, which will be released March 21, would interfere with obligations for Fifty Shades of Grey, which will be released Aug. 1. As a result, she was no longer considered for the role.

Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina) and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later) were also considered, but, ultimately, Johnson prevailed. She was at the top of James' and director Sam Taylor-Johnson's list primarily for her impressive test footage.

Melanie Griffith, Johnson's mother, thinks the right actress was cast.

"My beautiful child Dakota has been chosen to play Anna Steele in 50 Shades!!! Look out world! Here she comes!!! #proudmama," Griffith wrote via Twitter.

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