A while back, I read Jenny Trout’s blog about Fifty Shades of Grey. The write-ups and analysis are excellent and laugh-out-loud funny, but it just reminded me – I read the book a while back, when everyone read it – that Anastasia Steele is a terrible character. Christian Grey sucks too, but E.L. James was really paying it forward on the Twilight fan-fiction by making Ana the worst version of Bella ever. Ana is no heroine, she’s immature, she cries and blushes on every page and she’s a pretty terrible narrator. Some hoped that the film version of Ana would be a bit more proactive, or perhaps less whiney and tearful. I assumed that the film was going to take out some of the worst emotional crap in favor of full-on sex scenes, etc. But as it turns out, Dakota Johnson is pretty awful throughout every kind of scene? And that’s why they had to go back to Vancouver to do reshoots.
They were seen re-shooting parts of Fifty Shades Of Grey last week, with less than four months to go before the erotic flick gets its cinematic release. And now it seems that rather than merely perfecting a couple of scenes, producers had Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan back on set re-enacting their steamy encounters due to a concerning absence of heat between the duo.
A film source has revealed to Us Magazine that the footage didn’t feel ‘passionate’ and producers have been disappointed by the lack of chemistry.
‘Dakota isn’t coming off sexy enough’ said a second source. ‘Ana needs to be naive, not a dish-rag.’
A Universal rep denied the lack of chemistry and said: ‘No one should question the heat or intensity of our actors.’
The cast are determined to get it right however, with another insider adding: ‘They want to do sequels, so this has to be perfect.’
From what I can tell from the photos, they reshot a lot of outdoor scenes, so it’s very possible that they just wanted it to look more cinematic, bigger, more exciting. But the paparazzi cameras didn’t go everywhere, so maybe they did reshoot some sex scenes too. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Dakota was a dishrag in those scenes. I watched the Today interview between Dakota and Jamie Dornan and they have very little chemistry and that’s mostly on her. He was trying to flirt and be “game” and she just slouched there and whined. I called her a charisma vacuum. And I stand by it!
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Nepotism fail. Too bad for Jamie I really liked him in The Fall.
I’ve only seen him in Once Upon A Time so now I am picturing the Huntsman and that awfuk, awful feminine hygiene scene. Sad panda
I love The Fall! Can’t wait for the next season.
maybe they will let him keep that leather thermos, it’s kind of fab.
The book was truly awful…and the movie actually looks worse. I’m looking forward to the reviews on this one! LOL
I hope Lucy Hale reads this
Why??
She auditioned for the role of Ana and said it was one of the worst auditions she’s ever been too lol.
Considering I’ve never read this drivel (because twilight fanfiction) I’m not surprised by the reshoots. It’s hard to make a movie off of awful characters
Disregarding whether or not Lucy Hale can act well, that girl isn’t nearly dish-raggy enough to play Ana. She’s got an actual personality, and a really distinctive look.
Lucy dodged a b*tt plug-sized bullet on this one.
Oh Abbott. Nasty. Please pass the brain bleach.
BAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Thank you for the image.
This whole movie is an abomination that never should have gone in production. It only fills the undeserving purses of the hack that is E.L James.
Terrible character and terribble actress
Grey’s actor/character is not better
I guess you can manufacture beauty but not charisma and chemistry.
Ditto! Exactly my thought!
I can’t believe I am writing this but his bulge is distracting me and not in a good way. Boring, preppy bulge in khaki pants.
HAHAHAHHA! According to Idris Elba, that’s a mike wire. Snort.
That was my thought – the scourge of the mike wires continues. But having not read 50SOG, I did have a momentary “maybe there’s a really graphic scene about him being aroused outdoors in khaki?” thought.
I don’t want to disappoint anyone but if you look at the big version than you see that’s an iphone in his pants. (This sounds like a really bad euphemism, but there is a phone. I swear.) Therefore the fold and everything.
Although I like “a really graphic scene about him being aroused outdoors in khaki” better. *lol*
I would watch this movie if Idris Elba were the main character. Can they do enough reshoots to make that happen??
I am channeling Mae West this morning: “Is that an I phone in your pants or are you just pleased to see me?” Never read the book, won’t see the film, both seem dreadful.
Oh thank god someone else brought it up, but I like it, lol. It’s all I could focus on, hello Jamie!
It’s a diagonal fold created by his iphone, not a b0ner. Follow the crease down to its terminal point then out to the left at a right angle. Sorry for the bubble bursting, ladies, but go back to that first photo, and have a look at the last. LOL!
The statement about not questioning the heat or intensity if the actors cracks me up.
Me too! I laughed out loud at that.
Gah, this makes me cringe. I could never be sexy on cue, and then if people were saying you were a dishrag, I would just shrivel up and be less sexy. I feel bad for her. Or cringey for her.
No shit. I mean, how does one recover from being a dishrag? Hey, you suck, we gotta do reshoots, and try to act like a plush & sexy 5 star Egyptian cotton charisma body towel this time, okay?
you go take acting classes at bed, bath, and beyond until you are a motherf*ckin down comforter! one look at her and I was bored, depressed and bored again. i wouldn’t tie her shoe let alone her wrists to a bed. snore.
Please explain what it means to be called a dishrag in this context?
I don’t think my initial understanding was correct.
Thinking her hair was like wearing a dirty dishrag. It’s all I got.
As in, she’s got the charisma of an old rag.
Ah. Yikes! Well, too late to change casting now.
“I read the book a while back, when everyone read it”
Of course I know what you mean, but I still feel compelled to state that *I* have never read it, nor am I moved to do so now. 🙂
I had to write *something*, since – through careless clicking – I landed on the wrong article. 😛
I’ve never read it, either. It wasn’t from any feminist perspective, even. It was just the fact it had originated as fanfic, and if you want to read that, a ton is available for nothing… and some of it is very good indeed. (A modern day Pride and Prejudice, written by an English TA who was at the time at UCLA, is brilliant. No overt sex, but it updates the social commentary by mocking the likes of Radar and TMZ, and the characterisation of Lizzie and Darcy is different, but IMO recognisable.)
I was just – why pay for shitty fanfic? If you want it, it’s all over the web.
K; now I’m intrigued! Do you remember the title of this PP fic? I want to check it out!
How anyone thought this awful book would be a decent movie, short of mockery porn, is beyond me. I’m sure even adult film actresses could have been better.
I actually think the movie will be better than the books. Granted, that’s not really hard and the story stays the same but at least we don’t have Ana’s vapid inner monologue. So it’s an improvement!
Are you sure they won’t have her terrible dialogue? It seems easy enough to show with a voice over *shudders*
I expect the movie to be better than the book, too. The bidding war over the rights wasn’t because it was well-written, it was because, for better or worse, this thing has cultural traction. These filmmakers – I assume (?) – know the limitations of the material they are dealing with and – I hope – know how to improve on it. I’m actually really interested to see what they do with it.
If there is a lack of heat between the actors, that could really mess things up.
That dishrag comment is really rude.
Movie is going to suck just like the book! I laughed through most of it. The dialogue was ridiculous. Dakota Johnson isn’t attractive enough to play that part. I thought Anna was supposed to be beautiful. Might catch it on cable for a few laughs!!!
That’s what I wonder about, who is going to go watch this movie in a theatre?? No.body. The book marked a huge surge in use of ereaders, so peeps could read the books privately in public. I bet it’s like The Canyons, people stay in and hate-watch it
I hate to say it, but I think the movie will do at least moderately well. The week the trailer came out there I had plenty of Facebook friends – women I have otherwise regarded as intelligent and well-adjusted – posting the trailer and squeeing over it. I don’t understand it, but my hope is that the movie is true enough to the book that fans will realize that these oh-so-steamy (*cough*) characters would make horrible people in real life.
It probably will do well, but as far as the trailer goes I did really like it. Still get the feeling though that trailer was good only because you edit the few interesting pieces and you really don’t have to give a story add a great remake of Beyonce’s Crazy Love and voila good trailer. A two minute trailer is a lot different than a movie though.
Hate to admit it but I agree with Amy – so many ‘normal’ women I know are falling all over themselves for this movie. It’ll make big money the first month or so then fade. No one will watch the sequel. People just want to see the movie to see if their own ‘vision’ aligns with the story, maybe in a way to put a face to the characters etc. . It’s like every book turned movie, the first one always has the most hype – good or not.
@Noway the use of that version of Crazy In Love was AWESOME! All I could see was Whatserpickle looking 40 (no tea no shade, except the character is like 20) and The Huntsman looking concerned all the time so I have no idea how that will all play out. Are these women gonna go watch it with their girlfriends? Boyfriends? Husbands? Seems soooo awkward in public. Hey, maybe in those fancy theatres with booze! I would totally watch it all messed up and throwing bits of chicken fajita at the screen every time Ana bites her lip.
For what it’s worth the Canyons wasn’t horrible if you approach it as documenting the downward slope of Lilo’s desperate cling to film. And a bunch of adult stars trying to be edgy.
@Florc, The Canyons is 20 minutes of my life I will never, ever get back. Painful
TTMuch
It was pretty bad. Really bad. I should have added there should be a container of brain bleach at the ready once you’ve watched all you can stand.
I know people who’ve read it and they all say it’s badly written including spelling errors. I can’t bring myself to read it. Not even so I can goof on it.
The spelling and grammar issues are the best!!!! The amount of times she uses She instead of He is amazing. Did they even have an editor or a high school proofreader? Yet it made millions. Who would have thought so little effort for such a high return.
noway
Didn’t her husband proof read it? That’s what you get with autocorrect on a phone.
“Ana needs to be naïve, not a dishrag.” Well then, the author should have written her as naïve rather than as a dishrag. I have no opinion of Dakota Johnson either way, but if she comes off as a dishrag she’s playing the part that EL James wrote.
THIS. Ana is SUPPOSED to be a dishrag. That’s how she was in the book.
Ok but if an actor in a MOVIE is styled too effectively as a “dishrag,” a large portion of the audience isn’t going to feel the heat between the characters that you want them to feel for the movie to work. That description may work in a book, but I think it has limitations in a movie.
I saw the trailer for this movie when I went to see “Gone Girl” and people in the theater were laughing at it. Not in a good way. I never read the book and won’t see the movie, but I’m pretty sure mocking laughter wasn’t what they were going for…
according to a leaked copy of the shooting schedule they were shooting new scenes in both the bedroom and the “red room of pain” so something must have really gone wrong in the initial shooting.
Also, the LA premiere has supposedly been moved to a much smaller venue. Lack of interest, perhaps?
oh, that’s interesting about the schedule. maybe the smaller venue is just them going for a more intimate vibe? Do big premieres matter? I don’t know.
I’ve had such hopes that this movie would be so terrible that I could drink a shot every time Dakota said “Oh, my”.
I’m sure you could achieve blackout drunk if you include the phrase “goddess”
Or jeepers. You might get alcohol poisoning.
I’m thinking you could do shots of beer and still get alcohol poisoning.
Can they get George Takei to do a voice-over every time Ana says “Oh my”? That would be beyond fabulous!
Ooh, maybe George Takei can do the Rifftrax for it! This needs to happen.
And take a shot every time she ‘gapes’ at him(‘gape’ being the most used after ‘goddess’ and ‘oh my’). I’ve read better fanfiction on Fanfiction.
Or every time she uses the phrase “down there”?
Amazingly enough, my friends and I have been discussing the exact same thing. We were also thinking that might drink for every spank. 😛
Or bites her lip. If anyone bit their lips that much in real life they would look like tenderized meat.
Sorry for the visual.
And sorry but isn’t Anna supposed to be “beautiful?” This girl is average at best…just saying.
Well, the story goes Christian only abuses women who look like his drug riddled mother… So… Nailed it!
I don’t think Ana is supposed to be beautiful, but rather “average”. It’s Twilight fanfiction and Bella should look average too, therefore the surprise when the super gorgeous vampire supermodel falls for her. (And of course we should all ignore the fact that everyone at her new school wants to go out with her even if she hardly talks to them and is looking “average”). She only becomes beautiful when she’s a vampire herself.
So Ana(bella) is “average” too and as obvious as this is, it seems to work for readers to identify themselves with average, “naive” (more like dumb) Ana with whom an extremely good looking sought after and brilliant billionaire bachelor falls in love.
She looks just like her dad in the last profile pic…in a wig & lipstick.
(ducks & covers)
She really does look like her dad.
I always felt Nina Dobrev would’ve been a much better choice.
Nina is too pretty for this role. Ana is supposed to be plain.
This doesn’t bode well for the movie, though I guess it’ll make bank from the superfans and the people who will watch it for [doodys] and giggles.
I’m sure she’s a nice and decent person, but I hope Dakota Johnson’s has a non-acting career that she can fall back on, because all reports seem to indicate that perhaps she is not suited to be a star.
‘No one should question the heat or intensity of our actors.’
This is seriously cracking me up.
Ugh–it’s bad enough that the book was shit, but the movie trailer REALLY drives it home. You can be shy (LIKE ME) and not be a total I’ll-do-whatever-you-say-you-big-strong-dominant-man. God. I was actually cringing when they got to the part when he said “What about you, I’m interested in you”…and she said “Me? I’m not interesting. Just look at me.” God. So cringe worthy.
I’m just gonna say it AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
Watch Secretary.
I saw the trailer and she just looked depressed the whole time. How do you have fun, sexy times if you are depressed? Poor Jamie Dornan was really bringing the heat, but the whole thing just made me sad.
You took the words right of my mouth. I hate how the author portrays women. Ana is so stupid and insecure, the whole time I was watching the trailer I was like SERIOUSLY. Every woman is not insecure and all of us do not shrivel under a man like a raisin. Smh
ok. I don’t like how she portrays women, either. But, why do you think so many women responded (in varying degrees) to the book? i don’t think everybody is hate-reading it. What does it’s success say?
Well then, the film should be as horrible as the ‘novels’.
yeah lol, they need to stay true to the source material!
All the film has to be is Jamie walking and flexing- LOL! I do get the point about Dakota being a charisma vacuum- can you imagine her and Henry C together for an interview show? ZZZZZ-. Good luck to the director and the film editor!
To be honest, both me and my husband are in the filmindustry and most movies to retakes and additional shots. Most of the time it has nothing to do with the acting but it’s because a process in the editing room. When you lay out the story sometimes (very often) you notice that you need something to give the story a flow, more feeling, or whatever. It has more to do with the structure of storytelling then the actors lacking in skills.
I haven’t even read this particular book so I can’t really comment on the story in this movie.
Oh Lotta, you must have a cool job.
I have a question (if you see this) – how you think someone can learn about how to give a story flow? is it just intuitive skill? learning by doing? are there any things you recommend? Thanks.
Sounds like Dakota nailed Anna perfectly then. Anna IS horrible!
I almost feel bad for people like Dakota Johnson and Ireland Baldwin, they were raised to believe they would have a certain career their whole lives and it hasn’t worked out. Of course they could afford to go to college or learn a trade, but the expectation has set them up for a fall.
I heard that EL James is not happy with the way the film is right now. She needs to take a seat. Why they have her on as a producer boggles my mind. I am sure she is hoping she can get Robert Pattison and Kristin Stewart to attend.
In her dreams.
She actually said having Rpat and KStew was going to be strange because of Twilight. Her primary choice was Ryan Gosling but he was NOT interested in the role. So they thought of actors like Ian Somerhalder who actually considered it but due to conflict of schedule, he declined. He made the smart choice of prioritizing TVD. So they held auditions.
I’m not even sure in which universe someone would think Ryan Gosling would be interested in this role.
to my mind, that’s a good sign, no?
My daughter who is a aspiring romance writer waiting for her first book to be published , read it and ask me to read and give my opinion….Well I make it to chapter 3…….called her up and congratulated her ..She ask “why are you congratulating me for ? ” and I said “Well Honey, if they can actually print that and sell and make a movie off of that drivel why you are going be the next Margaret Mitchell……(Gone with the Wind) …..Then they cast those two and I thought thats like taking two donkeys and casting them in a movie playing Zebras …..even with spray painted stripes nobody is going believe they are Zebras…….LOL
That’s what makes this whole thing disgusting. Trash that EL James STOLE was published & made into a huge seller… Legit good writers keep getting rejected time after time
What did she steal?
I thought the book was ridiculous ( but then again, I had the same feelings about “Eat. Pray. Love”, so go figure), but I was more than willing to see the movie when I heard Charlie Hunnam was going to play CG.
I have nothing against Jamie Dornan, but he just doesn’t do it for me. With or without Dakota Johnson
so if i read this correctly, they’re reshooting so that instead of being a dishrag, she could be a naive dishrag?
a dishrag in the throes of being introduced to a dark corner of a beige kitchen, where the people who live there never rinse dishes before putting it in the washer, and never uses enough soap?
A dishrag that has no.idea how beautiful of a dishrag they are. Until awakened by a sexy millionaire dishmop
still think it’s gonna be a blockbuster cuz damn i wanna see more of that guy in the buff
Reshoot scenes? You mean they are trying to turn this into a cinematic masterpiece.
How could you not appear to be into it when you were making out with Jamie Dornan?!?! Smoldering hot!!!
Well thank God that it’s not his fault. Because I really like him since the first time I saw him as hot sheriff on Once Upon A Time. Really want him to make it and get more roles in big movies.
I read the books. I read the copy cat books. I don’t like Ana’s character, but she was very clearly describe in the books as having a quiet elegance about her and although thin, she was suppose to have a great body. I don’t mean to be mean, but I’ve never understood why they chose DJ in the first place. She doesn’t fit the character physically at all – other than brown hair and even that was suppose to be pretty. Her character is mousy, not the woman’s physicality. I feel bad for Dakota because even though the movie version of these books can’t possibly be anything good, let alone meaningful, she didn’t really stand a chance. This was a horrible choice on her part especially just starting out in the industry.
There was actually talk that once they chose Dakota, they were dead set on keeping her. Now Im wondering how that is working for them?
Oh the sexual irony. That the ‘dish rag’ in question is the offspring of two formerly sexy Hollywood sex symbols. Te he he.
I remember watching a movie called Paradise starring her parents when I was about 9 and thinking her dad was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. My goodness he looked good.
Guess she didn’t get much of the acting talent from them?
Last prediction on this site was that Ben Affleck would bomb as Nick in Gone Girl. That was wrong. I’ll bet this prediction is wrong too. I think she is physically, she has a great look for this part. She has an interesting face which is both pretty and ordinary at the same time. I think she’ll do well.
I made it through the first book (and half of the second) the writing was amaturish…it was terrible…however I cant wait for the movie. The trailor was really well done. The actors from what I have seen in interviews etc…are not the est looking or charismatic people…but I dont know…like I said …the acting in the trailer itself…I thought wads really well done…curious to see the movie