Jennifer Ehle to star in 50 Shades of Grey

Ehle played a CIA analyst opposite Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty

Actress Jennifer Ehle is to star in the screen adaptation of erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Ehle will play the role of Carla, the mother of leading character Anastasia Steele, to be played by Dakota Johnson.

Based on EL James' popular novel, the film is being directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and is due for release in 2014.

Ehle's film credits include Zero Dark Thirty, Contagion and George Clooney's The Ides of March.

She shot to fame after appearing opposite Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC TV adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet led to a Bafta for best actress.

EL James has described Hunnam as "gorgeous and talented" and Johnson "lovely"

Published in 2011, Fifty Shades of Grey follows the sexually-charged relationship between billionaire Christian Grey and college student Steele.

The novel and its two sequels, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, have become a literary phenomenon that earned James a reported $95m (£61.5m) last year.

Johnson, 24, is the daughter of Miami Vice star Don, and actress Melanie Griffith.

She appeared with Justin Timberlake in 2010 release The Social Network and played the female lead in US TV show Ben and Kate.

British actor Charlie Hunnam, 33, will play Grey. He is best known for his work in TV shows such as Queer as Folk and US biker drama Sons of Anarchy.

He recently appeared on the big screen in Pacific Rim.

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