You know Sam Taylor Johnson. You just know her better as “Sam Taylor Wood” which was her name before she married Aaron Johnson, and they became the Taylor Johnsons (he took her name too). Sam Taylor Wood met Aaron Johnson when he was 18 years old and she was directing him in Nowhere Boy. He was 19 years old (-ish) when they got together in a big way and she got pregnant with their first child together (she has two older daughters from a previous marriage). Aaron and Sam later married after she got pregnant for the second time. Now they are parents to daughters, Wylda and Romy. Sam is 46 years old right now. Aaron is 23. Somehow, they’re making it work. She and the girls travel with Aaron when he works and they seem tight. But I wonder what happens when Sam gets a big gig? Because that’s what just happened.
Deadline announced yesterday that Sam was just hired to DIRECT the screen adaptation of 50 Shades of Grey. Honestly, I’m surprised that producers managed to get someone with Sam’s pedigree – she’s a respected photographer and artist, you know? And now she’ll be directing mommy p0rn. That being said, I think it’s an interesting choice to hire a female director for what will definitely be a bondage-y softcore p0rn.
Sam Taylor-Johnson, whose directorial debut was 2009′s Nowhere Boy about the early life of John Lennon, has been secured to direct Fifty Shades Of Grey, the sizzling novel adaptation from Universal Pictures and Focus Features. Fellow Brit Kelly Marcel has written the script for the movie, based on EL James’ bestseller that follows the relationship between 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey and college student Anastasia Steele. Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca are producing alongside James.
“Sam’s unique ability to gracefully showcase complex relationships dealing with love, emotion and sexual chemistry make her the ideal director to bring Christian and Anastasia’s relationship to life,” said De Luca. “EL James’ characters and vivid storytelling require a director who is willing to take risks and push the envelope where needed, and Sam is a natural fit.”
This is a hot job, and rumors have been flying about directors like Gus Van Sant, Susanne Bier and Joe Wright in the running, but Taylor-Johnson is a surprise choice. In addition to Nowhere Boy, which garnered her a pair of BAFTA nominations and an eventual husband in that film’s star Aaron Taylor-Johnson (of Kick-Ass fame), she had only directed the short film Love You More which was in Cannes in 2008. She also has ties to De Luca — the pair are in development on a film based on the Robert Goorlick novel A Reliable Wife which De Luca is also producing. Before landing the Nowhere Boy gig, Taylor-Johnson was a well-known photographer and visual artist whose work captured and explored issues of human sexuality.
You know what I wonder about? I wonder if this was a way to get Aaron Taylor Johnson to read for Christian Grey. I can’t decide if the conspiracy theory should be “producers only hired Sam because they want Aaron” or if it should be “Sam was hired and now she’s pushing for her husband to be cast.” It could be either/or. The idea of Aaron as Christian Grey doesn’t suck, actually. I would say that Aaron might think the role is beneath him as an “artist” but he’s currently working on a Godzilla movie, so maybe not. But if Sam does want to see Aaron for Christian Grey… there could be problems, right? Directing your 23-years-younger husband in a softcore p0rn in which he’s repeatedly spanking a young beauty? Ugh. That’s a recipe for disaster.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
oh no.. why, why won’t they let this thing die? blech.
Too much money involved.
Right?! I was hoping the whole movie thing would go away once the popularity of the books faded as well.
Two words: epic bestseller
So crazy. I wonder if I will see it when it’s on DVD 😉
I hope he’s not in it too, would be a bad idea!
I am SO with you, marie! Ugh
On another note, Aaron Johnson looks so much more beautiful with his curly hair. Boo.
I typically like the way men look with shorter hair but there’s something glorious about him when he has that long mane.
Me too, Joy! Totally a short-hair girl when it comes to dudes.
..not sure why he’s different…
Yes. I miss his curls like crazy! I do have a thing for curly hair though. His was so delightful.
He really gotta stop with the…BLUE STEEL…stare, it’s just ridiculous.
How are they even going to make the movie? The book is all about sex and you can’t really do that on the big screen without actually doing a porno.
My guess is they’ll change the actual episodes to make it more like 9 1/2 Weeks, something similar. Anyway, I’m not gonna be watching this.
Urgh he used to be so hot.
I know. He’s only in his early 20s which is peak time! But he’s versatile and good-looking enough to get back into shape for any role/I think he tries to look older than he is, especially considering he’s a father of three. He was absolutely delectable in Anna Karenina.
I posted above but I can’t believe what a difference a haircut can make 🙁
Holy crap that’s HIM?? Yuck. I prefer the sexy Diamond Jim look he had goin on before the haircut.
I guess I never saw him during his apparently short “hot” phase. He’s pretty basic. I saw one picture of him with curly blond hair and a skeevy mustache (for Anna Karenina?) that was so gross, I can’t ever imagine him being hot, ever.
Don’t know why people see him for the FSOG role. He’s too young, fairly average looking, and nothing about him suggests a dominant persona. Not sure who I could envision for that crazy role, but certainly not him.
I watched that teen movie he did back in 2008 (holy crap that boy is young) and he was sooooo beautiful. he was the most beautiful teenaged boy I had ever seen. He’s attractive now too, but back then WOW.
This could be her movie to really break into the public consciousness as a director. As for Aaron, he’s not the worst choice but I think he lacks the charisma and the sculpted look (angular face) expected of the character. I saw him as Vronsky in Anna Karenina with Keira Knightley and he was a mess.
In fairness, that whole film was a mess. You wouldn’t think it would be possible to make an adaptation of such a classic novel so utterly uninteresting and frankly boring, but Joe Wright managed it. Casting The Chin in the title role didn’t help either, it has to be said.
I saw Anna Karenina recently and was disappointed. I didn’t know they would try to imitate a theater, awful! I’m surprised I watched all of it. And they had such great actors, what a shame!
I’m a sucker for period dramas, so maybe that’s why I found the film so extremely horrible.
Erm, it’s pretty insulting to insinuate that she got the job so they could get to her husband. She’s a really talented artist and her work speaks for itself, plus I don’t think you’d say something like that about a male director. Don’t women directors have it hard enough?
I agree with you. Unfortunately, you are very right. I also work in a branch traditionally reserved to male, having responsabilities. Men take it pretty bad to be directed by females that are younger, more knowledgable, harder working than them. We have to show continiously that we are fit for the job, nothing is granted or earned, and we have to work twice as clever and hard.
It’s really frustrating. It’s like they look at me and think I don’t have the look (and balls) for the job. I tend to think it’s a kind of racism, except women represent half the earth’s mass !!
Something positive: They have really good body language in their photos.
But gaaaaaah, I hope this stupid movie dies a fiery death. Sam Taylor Wood is better than this and Aaron is too young to read for Christian Grey (and no amount of good acting on his part can change that).
“I hope this stupid movie dies a fiery death. Sam Taylor Wood is better than this…”
YES and YES.
All of this!
I agree, she is better then this movie and so is he. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the movie script gutted a lot of the book plot and that’s why she’s doing it.
I don’t see Aaron taking this role. And I don’t think she was hired to get him to play Christian, I think she was hired because she does have good directing cred.
I also agree that I think FSOG would make a better cable miniseries, no way is the movie going to be as risque as the books. And to even be a good movie, a scriptwriter is going to have to gut a lot of the story.
Seriously why is anyone credible attached to this film?
E.L. James is a hack, the book is awful and the main relationship is quite obviously an abusive one and top it all off the sex isn’t even that interesting.
Big Money. Honestly, I wont sleep easy until they announce definitive casting and all those CHarms rumors will finally stop.
@Miss Kiki – You could be describing the Twilight books and look how much they made off of that awful writing. I admit I loved the first book even knowing it was unhealthy and bad writing. I have never read the 50 Shades book and don’t plan to. I am not into trashy romance novs which is what this sounds like. I only know who Sam Taylor Johnson is because of Lainey. I have never seen anything she has done and never heard her mentioned outside of Lainey.
I read all the Twilight books (for shame) and was really concerned at that relationship but FSOG took it to a whole new level.
I’m assuming that you know that FSOG of was/is Twilight fan fiction? It goes so much further than trashy novel though, it actually depicts a really unhealthy and abusive relationship. After reading it all I could think was why does anyone think Grey is a perfect guy? The dude is nuts!
Her work as a visual artist is really amazing.
I think based on that alone, they are onto a winner.
@Kiki
Bc he f*cks well and buys her sh*t. That’s how low our standards have sunk, apparently. Or have never risen above.
Oh, and bc this relationship excuses AS of all agency responsibility while still letting her be the *savior* of this the a-hole through *love*.
@Anna The whole book is such a steaming pile, I was horrified when people tried to attach CHarms to it!
That’s all us ladies need though, nice stuff and god d*ck.
I read the first book; I thought the writing was okay, but the characterization/development was awful. To start with, the whole premise of a man who was active in the whole bdsm community, would try and start a relationship with a woman who was not, scares me quite frankly. If that had happened in real life, I can’t even imagine the public’s reaction.
I don’t consider myself an expert in bdsm, but I know enough that you don’t do that. And Anastasia’s character is just so boring….like Bella. I think they’re supposed to be introverts? If she had moved on, in New Moon, after Edward left for those months after, I would’ve liked it a lot more. I was so over the entire series by the time New Moon came to dvd.
i doubt anyone other than her young husband will be cast ,sigh! there goes another chance of seeing Matty b in a lead role
Good Lord, the books are terribly written and send out an even worse message!
My Mum asked me if I’d read them, I said yes and she asked what I thought- I said I’d never read a worse written book in my life! Absolutely awful.
You are correct-she was writing Twilight fanfiction and these books are taken from those stories-she just changed names. Gross.
This!!!!! I didn’t read the book, but I read http://50shadesofsuck.tumblr.com/ which compiles the most ridiculous/worst parts of the book. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry because it’s so bad (and has made so much money). I mean, how can you not spell check some basic things before printing it?!? That’s just embarrassing.
I LOVE that tumblr. It’s hysterical!
Before all the hate floods in:
I like them, I think they are genuinely in love.
I too love them and really feel they have a deep connection 💖
+…3?
They’re one of my favorite couples. I seethe with inner rage when people give them shit.
I agree totally. I love them and think he is so adorable. I saw the clip for Kick-Ass 2 last weekend and there was a scene with his shirt off – ooh mama!!!
I think they make a good couple too, but it’s hard to ignore their/her questionable decisions. After all, no one can see the future – see how a relationship will fare. I honestly can’t believe she condoned marrying him and having children with him while he was so young. It seems thoughtless and irresponsible. I know I could never, in good conscience, do that to someone. I would want to wait several years – wait for him to grow up a bit – so that if we did get married and have kids, I’d know he was ready for it. Anything else would feel like taking advantage of him and possibly ruining his life. I wouldn’t want him to wake up one morning and realize he’d made a mistake and feel trapped by it. And who’s to say that won’t happen to Aaron?
I don’t have a problem with the age difference though or that they’re a couple – just wish they would’ve waited. But, what’s done is done and all that’s left is to wish them the best.
I love the fact that it seems that he is totally committed to her and their kids….I know they have two together, and she has two older ones…do they still live at home.
He reminds me of my “dad”. My mom was 34 with three kids, and my dad was 21 when they got married. It was especially funny, as there is only an 11 year age difference between my oldest sister and my dad.
But I like them. We don’t really hear stories about him going out and partying…so I believe her when she says he’s an old soul.
I hope she does cast him as I want to hear the sound of Lainey’s head exploding with fury. She is nuts for this couple.
50 shades of make it stop!
I used to have the biggest crush on this guy, looking at him makes me feel like that was over a decade ago, he looks SO much older.
Why on earth anyone with any talent wants to be associated with this mess is beyond me. Ugh, just totally lost any respect for her.
Provided the script is good, the actors have strong chemistry and the director is fine I don’t see why the film cannot be a lot better than the books.
People protest waaay too much.
I haven’t read them still but the books won’t make millions if noone bought them and recommend them further.
I only got half-way through the third book of the Twilight series before the self-righteous English Lit major in me couldn’t take any more. (And I’m not a genre snob — I’m perfectly happy to read good paranormal, romance, and YA.) My only exposure to 50 Shades was from side-eyeing my seatmate’s Kindle on a three-hour flight. It made me squirm for all of the wrong reasons.
But I agree that there are some films that do transcend the books. The Bridges of Madison County was an obnoxiously bad book, but Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood injected a vast amount of class and talent into the movie.
Agree with you about Twilight.
The 50 shades- I’ve read a part of the first only till it came to a “contract” of sorts. Turned some pages found some spanking called later vanilla sex and
I thought it was all “try hard”.
I agree that you can’t read Kafka every single day and I’m perfectly happy to have some Sophie Kinsella in my book list too.
I just find it funny that among my aquaitances there are several who slam the books but have read ALL THREE of them…
Their entire relationship is so creepy.
I used to root for their relationship but after I found out that she pursued him too and singled him out as her favourite ‘actor’ on set of Nowhere Boy, I too find it creepy. I wish I could find the quotes . The atmoshpere on set was apparently not relaxed because of this. I don’t know if this is gossip or real accounts but I do remember a long quote of this.
Furthermore, although he’s a good charismatic actor, his interviews are boring and he’s dumb as a box of rocks (check out some Anna Karenina interviews) so I really wonder what exactly made her decide to be with an immature man. She is a real artist, he’s just an actor and not a smart one.
Agreed. Predator and prey. Talented or not, she has a red x in my book…
Absolutely agree. I cannot get behind them, because I feel she is a creepy predator, and the whole set-up seems sick.
So this sh*t’s really happening? It’s like the realisation of a bad dream
I don’t get all the complaning about the books and now about the movie.
It’s a simple thing to avoid all this “nauseating” stuff. Don’t read the books and don’t watch the movie.
I’ve read the book, found them highly entertaining and will probably watch the movie if they cast an actor of Aaron’s league.
Go Sam go, you rock!
I can’t speak for everyone but among my friends we found the insanity over the books to be discouraging because there are/were real writers writing books of real quality getting zero recognition or money.
Exactly. I know a lot of talented writers trying to make it in their field and it drives me nuts that people buy stuff like this. And yes, I’ve read some of it and I’d like to sue for the IQ points I lost in the process.
It was transitioned from Twilight fanfiction and considering how poorly written the Twilight books were, it’s bad on top of bad.
he actually looks decent for Christain grey but wtf at third picture????
he looks like a potato!!!!!! wow. what happened. the first picture is gorgeous and the third picture looks like channing tatum+ potato gone wrong.
I could see him in the role… but more likely the producers are thinking that her legitimacy as an artist brings a sophisticated, art house vibe that can temper some of the sleaziness of this project. Plus her reputation as a strong, independent female already makes the film feel less sexist. I mean, this film could go seriously wrong, right? Hiring her was a smart move. If she casts him, it’s just more fodder for the media. Like the ‘controversy’ of their romance.
Good, even great, films have been made from flimsy, risible source material.
A good director can make a good film out of risible material eg Catherine Hardwicke and the first TWILIGHT.
True that. I’d never have thought anyone could make a good movie out of “American Psycho”, but someone did.
I feel bad to say it, i think one day he´ll hate her because she “ruined” his youth.
I don’y know who this guy is but he is NOT hot enough to play Christian Grey. Seriously now!! A beautiful gay guy like Matthew Bomer would be a better fit.
Well, I hope he decides against it. No reason for two careers to be ruined over this horrible excuse for a book.
Kaiser, you hit the nail on the head! I thought of exactly the same thing when I heard Sam was chosen to direct: will Aaron be cast as Christian, thereby proving once again that nepotism is alive and well in Hollywood? I don’t give a rip one way or the other, but this 50 Shades garbage has gone on WAY too long so I couldn’t help but wonder….
I still don’t get what he sees in HER, but he’s kind of uniquely handsome. He certainly doesn’t look his age in that airport photo where he’s carrying one of his kiddoes!
After watching him in AK, I found him extremely hot! Now reading all your comments, I’m wondering of there is something wrong with me? 🙂
I
I read enough Harold Robbins and Jackie Collins books in high school to tide me over for the rest of my life. NEXT!
Giddy Up!
me too!!!
It will be really interesting to see how this movie plays out going forward. It took WAY too long to get to this point of just naming a director. The fad of the FSOG books is already over. By the time they get this thing cast and filmed, it will probably be about 3 years after the books peaked (which was last year).
Unlike the Twilight book series, which was still ascending when the first movie came out, FSOG will be a distant memory. Will there still be an audience? And how will they make a movie that isn’t porn? To make it a viable movie, it needs a major rewrite from the books. And casting will be an issue. They will probably need to go with relative unknowns.
I am genuinely curious to see how they pull this off – or if it just ends up on the scrap heap. Timing is everything, and they did not strike while the iron was still hot.
Wouldn’t it be incredible if they turned it on it’s ear? Wrote a screenplay that shows the debasing and debauchery of the story ala 9 1/2 Weeks? Or made it a consensual and healthy relationship in which the girl merely explores and side privy to unknown and then she walks away empowered and evolved?
I know it would change the story completely but that is not unheard of in Hollywood. Would anyone really object to that story being changed?
I don’t think it matters what they do with the story line; how many times they make the story emphasize how the relationship is consensual, how many times they they emphasize that if she says “No” it means “No” or how many times the story emphasizes that she has a choice and is doing it because she chooses to. The book states all of these things, repetitively, yet people are still going on about it as if the book promotes rape.
It doesn’t.
All it simply brings up; is the idea of what do you do when two people who are totally sexually incompatible are still sexually attracted to each other. Does it automatically mean you are not sexually empowered or evolved if you try to do things you otherwise wouldn’t have tried ?
@josie
The characterizations are what I really hate about the book. Even if you go with Anastasia being a natural submissive person the character is so naïve it’s embarrassing. She doesn’t know how to use a computer. She lets her friends walk all over her. She gets intimidated easily. I think both series would’ve gone better if they had made Bella/Anastasia much stronger characters.
I’m a pretty shy and somewhat introverted person. I don’t have a lot of friends or people that I talk to on a regular basis, except a few friends and family (I talk to you people on here just as much). I don’t like to reveal a lot, as I get embarrassed easily (I’m a little less embarrassed online, as I’m sure most of you know).
But I don’t roll over for people, like Bella and Anastasia. Yes, no means no, but to me, the book made it seem like she wanted it because he wanted it. Which isn’t a healthy sexual relationship.
It would have been different if she had desired most of the sexual activities that he did, and that being with him just made everything more formal and she would learn a lot more about her own personal desires in a safe and consensual way…but the book sounded like she did it to make him happy.
And don’t even get me started on Christian Grey. It’s one thing to come (I can’t remember if it was an accident or not) where she works and flirt with her while buying rope for some extracurricular activities, but it’s another to start sending her expensive presents, and tracking her through her laptop (or phone, can’t remember which), and “saving” her…yeah, I wonder how many women/men use that as an excuse as to why their significant other goes through their stuff and knows all their passwords.
@josie i read all three books and wanted to rip my hair out every second because of how downright stupid and annoying the lead character is, but I agree with this. The lead male was pretty firm on safe words and saying no etc and the girl did use them etc. there wasn’t rape in the book. There was a highly emotionally abusive and dysfunctional relationship and thats what people object too. And it stems in part to these two being sexually incompatible (and two of the most over the top annoying characters ever) but sexually attracted to each other.
It’s a ridiculous fantasy book.
@josie – I only read the first book, which I assume is the first movie. I do not think it promoted rape – and I don’t really think I implied that. I recognize, however, that perhaps you were not directing that comment to me.
But didn’t he often leave her crying? I may not remember the book as well as I should but I thought she could not understand why he needed to hurt her like he did. And isn’t there a scene where she does not use the safe word and he can’t understand why she didn’t? I apologize if I misremember these scenes but that is to which I was addressing – her allowing it to get to a point at which she felt demoralized. I have no problem with sexual exploration – trial AND error.
Ultimately, my only problem with the book was that I very much disliked the writing. Bondage and S&M are not my kinks so it did not turn me on which made me focus more on how it was written. I am hoping the movie is better written.
I am not knocking the book, I firmly believe in enjoying what you read as I understand so many who read this did. If it had been about exhibitionism instead of bondage, I am sure I would have devoured all three.
Josie read the blog Jen Reads 50 Shades of Grey (Sweaters for Days). She examines why the relationship is absolutely abusive and does a brilliant job. A lot of times Anna uses no and Christian throws it back in her face, making it a failing of hers because she dared to use her own damn agency. There’s nothIng positive to take from that relationship, nothing.
Not sure how you make a good movie from a corny, misguided romance wrapped in S&M lite.
Frankly, Ive always thought the FSOG material might be better suited for a high quality, throw-back “mini series” type of treatment on Showtime or HBO.
The source material is such fluff – and this approach could play on the porn /sexual situations while not trying to make the narrative more than it is. You can try to dress a pig and all…
Plus it taps into women/mommies watching in the privacy of their homes (the way they read the books), over several weeks and you can cover a lot more of the “iconic” scenes from the book (said semi-sacastically) You know book fans are going to bitch and moan that the movie didn’t cover enough of the book (and the two more that follow)
I agree, it would probably work better as a cable series. Then you don’t have to worry about the rating the same way you do with a theatrical release.
Agreed. I even remember a bunch of film journalists (back when the movie rights sold) stating that this would have been better suited as an HBO mini-series.
Hasn’t the 50 shades trend died? Does it really still have the momentum to make the movie successful?
I think they waited too long
Miley Cyrus should play the lead. Get her acting skills up to par.
God, her husband is so sexy. Lucky bitch. (That’s all)
I posted this yesterday but it bears repeating here:
Ugh. With the term mommy porn. I’m so sick of people attaching mommy to a term in a condescending manner. If you want to talk about being feminist (as posters here frequently do) let’s eliminate these
terms and start looking at mothers as equals too. Mothers can be just as sexy as childless women. We don’t automatically become desperate and unsexy the minute we pop out a child.
A very good point, MDiD. Well said.
Thank you J. Eyre!
I hope this movie rocks, just to piss of all the people commenting here.
I enjoy reading good books, real pieces of literature> But I sure as hell am not going around trashing anything and everyone who reads a book that is less than well written and feeling like a better person for it.
Seriously if you don’t like it, that’s ok, but why spend all this time posting hatred online?
aaron is another example like rpatz on how having a wild mane of hair can be the sole cause of ur sexiness and its complete absence makes ur sex appeal worse than that of a house plant
Love this couple, but god please stay away from this pile of crap!
If the guy with and short hair and nice lookin butt in the levis is the same person as AJ then the difference in looks with the hair cut is amazing. He does look much older with the beard and shaggy hair. Now it would be interesting to see him bald with a goatee – look how much that transformed Edward Norton in the American History X movie.
Forget FSOG for a minute- ” A Reliable Wife” is being made into a movie??? That is a great read!
I liked Aaron alot in Nowhere Boy, in AK he was just lost and not hot at all. She is a good director, so will be interesting to see what shakes out and how much say she has in casting.
I’m glad they hired her, I think she’ll be an amazing director and a good fit. Mummy porn is about female gratification after all, and most men only have vague notions about that. But Aaron TJ as Christian Grey? Nah, can’t see it somehow. He doesn’t feel right for the role. And it’s a recipe for tabloid explosion.
The photo of him with the beige pants. Look at his bulging thighs. Oh my….