Many people had opinions as to why Charlie Hunnam dropped out of the planned adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. Some people said it was because he wouldn’t be paid enough. Others said that the producers wanted someone different. Then there are those who said that his commitment to Sons of Anarchy was too deep, and he wanted time with his family. But no one actually listened to Hunnam… until now.
The Pacific Rim star opened up to E! while attending the 2nd annual “Hogs for Heart” charity event in Burbank, California, and while he didn’t come and specifically list the reasons why he walked away from Fifty Shades of Grey, he suggested on record a few of the reasons that have been speculated.
I am just really concentrating on work. It's been a really busy time," Hunnam said. “I have had some family stuff going on, so just trying to stay focused and stay positive and keep trying to do a good job at work and be with my family and stay positive.”
E! News reports that Hunnam’s father passed away in May and that the actor also recently wrapped season six of Sons of Anarchy, and pointed at the desire to conclude that program – and reunite with his Rim director – as more reasons why he passed on the project.
"I've got some family stuff I have to tend to. So when I wrap the show, I am going to go to England and see my people and then I have a film that I am doing with Guillermo [del Toro]. So I am going to go and do that and concentrate on the final seasons of Sons,” he said. “It's obviously going to be a really emotional time for us. We are like a family and have become very, very close and become dear friends to each other so it's going to be sad and finish up and say goodbye to everyone, but we've got like 13, maybe even a few more, episodes. There's rumor that we might do a couple of more episodes and do a little bit of an extended season next year, so we will see if that happens. It may or it may not. But I just want to finish that strong and go on to a new chapter of life.”
There aren't any real reasons that we can point at regarding Fifty Shades of Grey, just indicators that it was his family, and an upcoming Del Toro movie that led to Hunnam passing the part on to another male actor. So who will play Christian Grey? The latest reports have Jamie Dornan (ABC’s Once Upon a Time), Billy Magnussen and Luke Bracey as frontrunners, and it's been said that two of the three have tested with female co-star Dakota Johnson. Expect a decision soon, as director Sam Taylor-Johnson reportedly wants to start filming in November to keep on schedule for the announced August 1, 2014 release date.
