We’ve long been fascinated by the first FBI Director J Edgar Hoover (from 1935 to his death in 1972) and all the stories about his secret gay proclivities and alleged cross-dressing. Clint Eastwood is intrigued too, and he’s set to direct a biography of Hoover prominently featuring his associate and supposed “lover” Clyde Tolson. The men were inseparable partners but at the time no one DARED question the intimidating Hoover (above right) about his sexual preference. A socialite reported seeing Hoover at a gay orgy dressed in a flouncy black dress, stockings, high heels, and a wig. Another acquaintance thought Hoover was “so straight-laced” that he couldn’t have a normal romantic relationship. Who better to play this many-sided character than Leonardo DiCaprio? Eastwood wants Leo, and he wants Joaquin Phoenix to play Clyde Tolson.
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Leo has yet to prove that he can play a grown (middle-aged) man credibly. And unfortunately, Clint, for all his talent, doesn’t have the flair for the off-beat or non-traditional. Remember, he took one of the best selling books of all time — Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — and turned out a BOMB.
Better casting: Johnny Depp or Billy Crudup as Hoover.
Matt Damon as Tolson.
Scooby, so right. DiCaprio has failed to prove he can play a middle-aged man, despite looking like one.
My vote: Craig Ferguson as Hoover, Joel MacHale as Tolson.
Seb: Ernest Borgnine as Hoover; Whoopi Goldberg as Tolson. Make it happen, Hollywood!:)
LOL Scooby! And thanks a lot – I will not get that image out of my head for a long long time.
Has Greasy Bear considered acting? Ms Hilton could easily find a pair of mens shoes large enough and play Clyde
leonardo must stop punnishing people with his appearence, folks!!
Niether of these real life people should be depicted by good looking actors. That would be a travesty. Hoover was a dog-faced man, bulldog at that. Randy Quaid? Naw…not ugly enough. I’m so sick of Hollywood doing this, trying to duplicate a real person’s life and TOTALLy getting the person wrong from the get-go. If they can’t find an actor to do it right, I won’t be plopping ANY money down!
Clint makes good movies and casts well. I have confidence that he’ll make this a great movie. Leo sounds like a good choice, too bad Joaquin has become so bizarre. Is he back to normal yet? He is a good actor, I wish he wasn’t so weird.
I have to agree with the Captain on this one. Don’t care much for Leonardo’s acting.
To touch on both The Captain’s and Reta’s comments, Leo is not an attractive guy. He was a cute kid, and had bland good looks as a teen, but he now looks like a non-descript European businessman, with his big fist-shaped head, puffy face, lanky-greasy hair, piggy eyes and waxy skin.
Real life imitating Art with both of them
Sebastian, I never said Leo wasn’t good looking. I think he IS. That’s the problem with casting him for this ugly Hoover role. The only thing they have in common is a round head/face. Hoover was the original dog-faced man and I think they need to get an unknown to play him, someone who really LOOKS like him, or the audience will be taken out of the picture and do nothing but sit there saying to themselves “Gee, Leo sure looks stupid trying to play that ugly fat ass Hoover!!
Reta, I was reacting to your comment about perfect attractive actors playing real life schlubs. I think Leo is quite unattactive, and rather doughey.
I get irritated when people say a celeb is attractive because he or she is a celeb, and the media says it is so.
Many an “average” person is as attractive, or more attractive, walking down the street after a hard day at work as some of these celebs who have had plastic surgery, and are seen in photos that are strategically lit and photoshopped.
Wake up! Beauty is all around you…in the real world. Don’t sit with your mouth open like a baby bird, waiting for Hollywood to spoon feed you a gross imitation of beauty.
Both of these guys are hideous. Leo has a head like a lightbulb.
The actor who played Capote in Infamous was an unknown. Philip S. Hoffman was great as Capote, but I kept thinking, gee Philip is doing a fantastic job.
Reta is right. Get an unknown.
On the other hand, would Alec Baldwin be a better choice? He’s got Hoover’s mean little porcine eyes — and maybe some deep secrets of his own, as well.
Sidenote: There was a book out a few years ago written by a relative of Hoover’s. The writer claims that Hoover was part black (and deeply ashamed and conflicted about it), and that THAT was the big secret of his life.
Scooby, Alec would be perfect, but his furriness would be an issue.
Do you wax him to within an inch of his life, or do you let him play Hoover as is?
The thought of Yogi Bear in a dress and heels is kinda sick making, no?
they need to also touch on this subject about him as well, would be quiet interesting.
Seb: LMAO! He does have quite the Angora sweater, doesn’t he?
They could just shave a bear & put it in a suit if you’re considering Alec Baldwin.
No wait…how about Vince Vaughn?? You would still have to shave him down though. Let’s just go with the bear.
Palermo…..”Leo has a head like a lightbulb.” That tickled my funnybone big time.
I want to see this movie. I love Clint Eastwood!
I think the idea of this is a great one, but they really really DO have to get an unknown to play him, as none of these ideas work. Hoover was a stocky round-headed dog-faced man that couldn’t have been attractive to men OR women. He was lucky to have had the job he did, otherwise I din’t think ANYONE would have screwed him. I sure do hope they find the right person for this and don’t just shove someone in because they are a good actor and expect the audience to buy it.
You look at Hoover and the last thing you think was gay, hell the the last thing you think was could this man even get laid. This went to the ends of the earth back in those days to totally fool ya, hints Raymond Burr was gay and I didn’t know until he was dead and buried.