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Katie Cassidy has emerged as one of the front-runners to play the lead role in the movie adaption of the bestselling book Fifty Shades of Grey, The Daily Mail reported.

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Cassidy, 25, who has starred in "Gossip Girl" and "Melrose Place," is believed to be in competition with Emma Watson, Emma Stone and "Pretty Little Liars" actress Lucy Hale to play the role of Anastasia Steele in the erotic love story, according to sources.

Watson recently told Entertainment Weekly that she has yet to see a script for the adaptation.

Meanwhile, rumors about who will take on the role of Christian Grey are also flying. Names on the list include Ryan Gosling, Zac Efron, Alex Pettyfer and Ian Somerhalder of "The Vampire Diaries."

"Magic Mike" star Channing Tatum was recently linked to the part, but said in a recent interview that he would only take on the part if his wife, Jenna Dewan, could play Anastasia.

"I'd only be allowed if my wife was Ana," he said. "She's read the books so I don't think she'd be impressed if she couldn't be Ana."