Clint Eastwood seems to be physically incapable of slowing down. Having only recently released Invictus and with Hereafter due out soon, Eastwood is now hard at work casting his planned biopic of FBI-founder and legendary cross-dresser J. Edgar Hoover.
Eastwood is said to be keen to secure Leonardo Di Caprio for the role of Hoover, with actors as diverse as Bob Hoskins (in Nixon) and Billy Crudup (in Public Enemies) having played him before. Once that deal is finalised, Eastwood wants Joaquin Phoenix to sign on as Clyde Tolson, who was the Associate Director of the FBI from the 40’s to the 70’s, as well as being Hoover’s social and vacationing companion.
Eastwood’s film intends to examine the relationship between Tolson and Hoover, which seems to have been complex to say the least. Not only were they professionally and socially close, but Tolson was a key beneficiary of Hoover’s estate and received the US flag at his funeral, eventually being buried near Hoover at the Congressional Cemetery. All of this, despite neither man admitting to being gay and Hoover’s regularly ruthless handling of any allegations that he was.
Eastwood’s casting agent is travelling to Burbank in the next couple of weeks to sort out the casting, a process which Phoenix will be able to now participate in, given recent admissions that the whole beardy-weirdy, hip-hop career thing was a hoax.
This all sounds like another thoroughly Oscar-worthy prestige piece for Eastwood. We will let you know as soon as we hear confirmation on the casting process.
Thanks to Vulture for the news on this one.
