Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Autumn Winter 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    1. Celebrity News

    Fifty Shades Of Grey Movie: EL James Talks 'Talented' Director

    EL James has spoken out on choosing British director Sam Taylor-Johnson for the Fifty Shades of Grey Movie

    By Marie Claire
    Published 23 July 2013 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    EL James - Fifty Shades of Grey Movie
    EL James - Fifty Shades of Grey Movie
    (Image credit: Rex Features)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    EL James has spoken out on choosing British director Sam Taylor-Johnson for the Fifty Shades of Grey Movie

    The Fifty Shades of Grey movie has been causing all kinds of commotion at Comic-Con this week - and now EL James has opened up on choosing Sam Taylor-Johnson for the directing role

    Speaking at the famous film festival in San Diego, the author revealed all on her reasons for the decision, adding that she's been 'blown away' by the British directing star.

    FIFTY SHADES OF GREY MOVIE CAST CONTENDERS

    But far from holding all the cards herself, James added that the film studio - who plan to release the flick in August next year - had a huge say in who would win the Fifty Shades of Grey movie director role.

    You may like
    • Emotionally Unavailable Men: Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights Why Are We Still Glamourising Emotionally Unavailable Men?
    • Cara My Life in London Cara Delevingne on Designing Her First Collection for Topshop and London's Best-Kept Secrets
    • Alisha Boe "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It": Actor Alisha Boe on Why She'll Never Give Up Her Signature Scent

    'Actually, it's not just me! ... Everybody keeps asking, "Why did you decide?" It wasn't just me! There's a huge friggin' studio behind this,' she told reporters yesterday.

    'That's the wonderful thing about doing it this way, is you compile a team who really know what they're doing, who are incredibly talented, and you listen to what they have to say. As for Sam Taylor-Johnson, I saw both of her films, and I was blown away. Simple.'

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    She continued of the final choice: 'She's creative, incredibly talented, she's got an extraordinary eye. She had a good idea about the whole Fifty experience, she understands it ... And I thought: "There's a woman I can go and get drunk with".'

    Right then.

    EL James - Fifty Shades of Grey Movie

    EL James - Fifty Shades of Grey Movie
    (Image credit: Rex Features)

    Movie bosses at Universal Pictures and Focus Features revealed their chosen Fifty Shades of Grey movie director last month, citing Sam's 'unique ability to gracefully showcase complex relationships dealing with love, emotion and sexual chemistry,' as the reason she clinched the role.

    What to read next
    • A montage of photos from the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit How the British Grand Prix Has Become the UK’s Most Glamorous Sporting Weekend
    • Beauty Moodboard SS27 ’90s Kate Moss, Stevie Nicks and “Digital” Skin—The Beauty References to Inspire You for the Season Ahead
    • Charlotte Street Hotel Reviewed: Charlotte Street Hotel Offers a Boutique Stay With Parisian Flair in the Heart of Artsy Fitzrovia

    Meanwhile, casting rumours are still circulating Hollywood, with everyone from Ian Somerhalder and Dominic Cooper, to Kristen Stewart and Ellen Page thought to be in the running.

    The Fifty Shades of Grey movie will be released around the world in August next year.

    What do you think of Sam Taylor-Johnson directing the Fifty Shades of Grey movie? Are you looking forward to the film? Let us know in the comments box below…

    FIFTY SHADES OF GREY MOVIE CAST CONTENDERS

    SEE ALL THE STARS AND STYLE AT COMIC-CON THIS YEAR!

    MORE CELEBRITY NEWS

    Got a tablet? You can now download Marie Claire magazine straight to your iPad , Kindle (just search the store for 'marie claire magazine'), Nook or Google Nexus.

    Marie Claire
    Social Links Navigation

    The leading destination for fashion, beauty, shopping and finger-on-the-pulse views on the latest issues. Marie Claire's travel content helps you delight in discovering new destinations around the globe, offering a unique – and sometimes unchartered – travel experience. From new hotel openings to the destinations tipped to take over our travel calendars, this iconic name has it covered.

    Read more
    Emotionally Unavailable Men: Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights
    Relationships Why Are We Still Glamourising Emotionally Unavailable Men?
    Cara My Life in London
    Fashion Cara Delevingne on Designing Her First Collection for Topshop and London's Best-Kept Secrets
     
     
    Alisha Boe
    Fragrance "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It": Actor Alisha Boe on Why She'll Never Give Up Her Signature Scent
    A montage of photos from the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit
    Health and Fitness How the British Grand Prix Has Become the UK’s Most Glamorous Sporting Weekend
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity News
    Olivia Rodrigo performing on stage in a babydoll dress that sparked online debate, later prompting the singer to speak out about the sexualisation of girlhood and double standards facing young women.
    Celebrity News “We Really Normalise Pedophilia in Our Culture”: What Olivia Rodrigo's Babydoll Dress Backlash Reveals About Girlhood
    Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan'
    Celebrity News Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral
     
     
    Anne Hathaway attends the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2
    Celebrity News Anne Hathaway Has Spoken Out About Her 10-Year Health Battle
    The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona
    Royal News Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
     
     
    Latest in News
    New Beauty Launches Romilly Wilde / Cécred / Bobbi Brown
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Cécred Comes to the UK, Romilly Wilde Returns & £22 Skincare Gets Serious
    The Beauty Digest: New Products to Know
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: A Foundation With Infinite Shades, Diptyque Does Bodycare, and the Exhibition Every Beauty Lover Should See
     
     
    Eva Omaghomi
    Fashion After 17 years in the Royal Household, Eva Omaghomi Talks Bringing African Design Talent to Harrods
    New Beauty Products: The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Dyson Does Teeth, Fenty Rips Up the Rulebook (Again) and a Surprisingly Fragrant Week for Dogs
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.