'Fifty Shades of Grey' movie: Is Matt Bomer Too Old for Christian Grey Role? [PHOTOS]
Young Matt Bomer in 'The New Normal' a message to critics?
"Fifty Shades of Grey" movie casting prediction talks have been going on for several months now. Matt Bomer, an early favorite for the Christian Grey role, has been at the center of fans' discussions. Is the 35-year-old "White Collar" actor too old for the role?
Starring in the "Fifty Shades of Grey" movie is a huge, career-lifting deal. Fans persistently voting for their favorite stars are aware whoever is cast as Christian Grey will be a huge star, if he isn't already. Bomer has a solid fan base, judging from the Twitter and Tumblr accounts that have been dedicated to him.
But he is not quite a Hollywood A-lister just yet.
Perhaps one of the reasons fans have been clamoring for him to be Mr Grey is about that status. Of course it can also be because, quite simply, Bomer aka Neal Caffrey is easy on the eyes.
Bomer's guest appearance on "The New Normal" appears to be a move in line with the cast-Bomer-as-Grey strategy. For one, he was seen in a flashback scene as a 20-something carefree hunk, with eye-grabbing sculpted abs. The implied message there would be, 'Look who's too old to play Grey now.'
Young Matt Bomer Photos: From Tot to Chuck Bryce to Neal Caffrey
Here is a photo of little Matty when he was a carefree Texan tot who enjoys a bag of chips. Here he is again around three decades later at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Balls. Now here's Bomer in his role as Chuck Bryce in the defunct crime-comedy series, "Chuck." Going back to present day, here is Matt Bomer with fellow Christian Grey candidate, Ian Somerhalder.
In 2008, Bomer looked like a college fratman at 31. Standing next to 34-year-old Somerhalder, would fans still be convinced he does not look his age? For the sake of comparison, still images of Bomer could be compared to photos of Henry Cavill, 29.
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Fifty Shades' Christian Grey is barely 28 years old at the beginning of the series. Cavill, who is also a fan favorite for the Grey role, sees better chances at being cast because he is just as young as Grey.
As for E.L. James, the author of the fan-fiction-turned-global-craze Fifty Shades series, Christian Grey has certain qualities that should be seen in the fim. "I think emotional intelligence, a sense of humor - those kinds of things," she told Entertainmentwise.
However, age is not the only reason Bomer is being dismissed by many for the Grey role. He is openly gay, and this should be a deal-breaker, others say. Going back to "The New Normal," here is what Goldie (Ellen Barkin) said in behalf of Bomer's female fans: "I know that you're gay, but this is a very confusing moment for me."
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