Alexis Bledel as Anastasia Steele

Alexis Bledel’s name repeatedly comes up on fan lists and in insider rumor discussions as a favorite for the leading female role, Anastasia “Ana” Steele, in the Fifty Shades of Grey film to be released in 2014. Fifty Shades of Grey details the erotic affair (featuring various forms of dominant-submissive relationships,and  much more) between Anastasia, a 21-year-old a college senior, and Christian Grey, a rich entrepreneur, following her interviewing him. The level of speculation and fervor which some have for the choice has resulted in a trailer starring Bledel as Ana. As a book-loving, insecure, and casual-dressing young woman who possesses a shy and kind nature, the character could be like coming home in some ways for Bledel, though not necessarily.

With fellow young luminaries Elizabeth Olsen, Keira Knightly, Lyndsy Fonseca, Jennifer Lawrence, and Kristen Stewart also heavily touted as fan and Hollywood favorites, Bledel has some serious competition for the part of Ana. Beyond the filmmakers choosing someone else for their own reasons, Bledel has several aspects of her life and career that might make it harder to choose her than someone else. At 31 years old, Bledel is a decade older than the character she would be playing. She also might suffer from her past roles, namely Rory Gilmore, for which role she won two Teen Choice Awards, and that of Lena in the two The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants movies. Known for these and other primarily sweet teen roles, all of whom her legion of fans adored and grew up with, the prospect of Alexis Bledel as Anastasia Steele,  the role might alienate many who would normally see her work. Her actual physical height, at least in relation to the leading candidate for Christian Grey, Alex Pettyfer, might also yields questions. With only a four-inch difference between the actor and actress (Pettyfer is listed as 5’11”, Bledel as 5’7”), he would hardly tower over her as Christian is said to in the novels.

While she is older than many of the others touted as favorites, Bledel’s age hardly shows, as she still maintains a youthful appearance and could still play a likely passable teen. She also simply looks the part; among the many women rumored to be up for the role, Bledel is a great physical match. She possesses the same light skin, brown hair, and large blue eyes as the book’s Ana. Her role as Rory Gilmore was, in many ways, similar to Ana, at least as the character starts the novel.Both were bookish and shy, but kind and strong female characters. Her familiarity with those aspects of the character would only benefit the production, and the growth Ana experiences would be enhanced by Bledel’s range. Her range has, indeed, grown since the end of Gilmore Girls and as she has moved beyond the teen roles of her earlier career. One example is that, even as she was acting in Gilmore Girls, she was already moving onto edgier roles, including playing prostitute in Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s Sin City. So, with all this in mind, Alexis Bledel might actually be the girl to beat.