Pretty Little Liars star Brant Daugherty has been cast as Anastasia Steele's bodyguard Luke Sawyer in the third movie in the Fifty Shades of Grey series, Fifty Shades Freed.
His casting was announced by Fifty Shades author EL James on Twitter.
Welcome @brantdaugherty to #TeamFifty #FiftyShadesFreed #Sawyer
— E L James (@E_L_James) February 20, 2016
The actor thanked his colleagues and fans "for all the support and massive welcome".
Thanks for the warm welcome @E_L_James! I can't say how excited I am to bring Sawyer to life #FiftyShades
— Brant Daugherty (@brantdaugherty) February 20, 2016
So sweet of you, thanks Mama Grey! I'll take good care of your family https://t.co/jgeuqBk21s
— Brant Daugherty (@brantdaugherty) February 20, 2016
I love you guys. Today has been completely surreal. Thank you for all the support and the massive welcome to #FiftyShades
— Brant Daugherty (@brantdaugherty) February 21, 2016
Daugherty, whose other credits include Army Wives and Dancing with the Stars, joins returning leads Jamie Dornan (Christian Grey) and Dakota Johnson (Anastasia Steele) in the film.
Don't worry, guys. Luke Sawyer is actually Super Man. Ana will be safe😹❤️ pic.twitter.com/s214kvxGaA
— Mrs. Johnson (@dakotasamor) February 20, 2016
Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan
Recent additions to the Fifty Shades franchise include Bella Heathcote (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) as Leila Williams, Eric Johnson (The Knick) as Jack Hyde, Arielle Kebbell (The Vampire Diaries) as Gia Matteo and LA Confidential Oscar-winner Kim Basinger as Elena Lincoln. Singer Rita Ora is also reprising her role as Mia Grey in Fifty Shades Freed and the now-filming second movie in the series, Fifty Shades Darker.
Bella Heathcote - Playing Leila Williams
The sequels are being shot back-to-back, with ...Darker due for release in February 2017 and ...Freed following a year later.
Both ...Darker and ...Freed have House of Cards director James Foley behind the lens. His other credits include the David Mamet adaptation Glengarry Glen Ross and the Sean Penn-starring thriller At Close Range.
The scripts for the sequels have been written by Newry man Niall Leonard, the husband of author James. 2015's Fifty Shades of Grey took over $570m at the global box office.
EL James and Niall Leonard
