8 Great Contenders for Fifty Shades of Grey ...

1. Ian Somerhalder

Ian Somerhalder is one of the biggest contenders for Fifty Shades of Grey, and with good reason. Those icy blue eyes, smoldering good looks, and wicked smirk make him perfect on the surface, but this beautiful boy is also a killer actor. He's got skill, as we've seen on TVD, and if anyone can bring a sultry sadistic vibe to the big screen, while still showcasing a melting sort of vulnerability, it's Ian. And he is the only way I will see these movies; I just won't have a choice!

2. Alexis Bledel

Little Rory Gilmore as Anastasia... Actually, although I initially did a double take, I can kind of see this. Some intrepid fan somewhere even made a steamy little faux trailer featuring her with the next contender. She's got the right style of innocent sweetness, yet there's something behind those big blue eyes that might just make her the ideal Ana.

3. Chris Hemsworth

Thor as Christian Grey? Just recently, in fact, he's made a big leap in the polls. If you've ever seen Rush, you can probably understand why. In interviews, he's professed an adorable bit of shyness about even talking about the novels. Among fans, he's right up there with Ian.

4. Allison Williams

One of the standout actresses from HBO's Girls is reportedly a shoe-in, at least as of April 23. I don't quite believe that; I don't think there will be any official cast announcements without some sort of fanfare. Still, after first expressing a decided lack of enthusiasm over ever doing any nude scenes, Allison allegedly finally read the novels and became “intrigued.”

5. Matt Bomer

Steamy, sultry Matt Bomer is another big contender for Christian Grey. I could see this one too, there's even something about him in “White Collar.” Fans are already putting together photo collages that prove his worthiness as the BDSM master, and if you look through them, really, you can see the point.

6. Kristen Stewart/Robert Pattinson

This one's a two-for, because I can't tell if people are seriously considering the couple or not. Certainly, since Fifty Shades is based on a Twilight fan fiction and, as a result, Christian and Ana have quite a lot in common with Edward and Bella, it would make sense. Do I think other of them could really carry off these roles? Not necessarily – and the powers-that-be definitely wouldn't be able to make good on a lot of the raunchier scenes in the books, because you know Twilight teen fans would appear in droves.

7. Zac Efron

I was amazed to see Zac's name on the list of Christian contenders, not because I think he's a bad actor – he's paying his dues, and while there's still a ways to go, he's improved loads since his High School Musical Days. But has he emerged from the kid-friendly Disney cocoon enough to take on this kind of role? He's definitely become a hottie with a body, but is that enough?

8. Katie Cassidy

Katie Cassidy, who has the wholesome looks of a Disney good girl herself, is thought to be topping the list for Anastasia actresses. She's paid some dues herself, courtesy of Gossip Girl and Melrose Place, and she does have that look about her. Even if she doesn't get the lead, fans would love to see her as Kate – which is awesome, because nobody seems very concerned with who's playing the more secondary characters.

Every day brings us closer to finding out who will round out the cast. In fact, by the time you see this, it might be finalized – finally! But up to this point, these are the biggest contenders for the major roles in the Fifty Shades of Grey films. Who are your top contenders and why?