Ian Somerhalder is top choice to play Christian Grey

A large part of Christian Grey’s allure no doubt comes from the fact that readers are able to conjure up their very own fantasy figure as they read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy.

Now, as plans for a Hollywood version of Fifty Shades get underway and casting begins for the man who will play the most sensational of roles, thoughts have turned to just who will star as the magnetic mystery male.

Rights to the best-seller – penned by Brit E. L. James – have been snapped up by Universal Pictures and the production team behind Oscar-winning film The Social Network.

The script is being finalized and filming is expected to start in 2014 with intense speculation about which stars would land the coveted roles.

It appears The Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder is the fans’ choice to play Christian Grey in the big screen adaptation.

Almost one in six chose American hunk Ian Somerhalder – Damon Salvatore in the TV drama The Vampire Diaries – to play the billionaire in a poll by British website.

In second place was Brit Henry Cavill, new star of the Superman movies, and Drive hunk Ryan Gosling came third.

Mad Men beauty Alexis Bledel has been chosen as the best actress to play his naive lover Anastasia Steele.

Texan beauty Alexis Bledel, 31, best known for playing adulteress Beth Dawes in Mad Men, just beat Anne Hathaway as the fans’ choice to play Ana.

And fans are pleading with movie bosses not to tone down the s** in the film.

S** scenes are increasingly being written out of Hollywood movies because studios bosses say they restricts a film’s audience and box office potential.

The last film with s** scenes to top the box office was Titanic, way back in 1997.

However, 90% of those polled say it would be a big mistake to water down the s** in Fifty Shades.

Almost seven out of ten said the books were likely to be better than the film and most fans believe the film will not be more popular than the books.

Fans were split down the middle over whether American or British stars should take the lead rolls – 50% favoring each country.

Fifty Shades of Grey sold 70 million copies worldwide and Universal plan to make three movies from the trilogy of best-sellers.

Who should play Christian Grey?

Ian Somerhalder (15%)
Henry Cavill (13%)
Ryan Gosling (12%)
Michael Fassbender (11%)
Alexander Skarsgard (10%)

Who should play Anastasia Steele?

Alexis Bedel (13%)
Anne Hathaway (12%)
Emma Stone (11%)
Mila Kunis (11%)
Elizabeth Olsen (10%)