J.Edgar: Production Information and News

[Hemlock]

Found this bit of a news:


http://www.newsinfilm.com/2010/12/08/charlize-theron-armie-hammer-in-clint-eastwood-j-edgar-hoover-movie/

I like Theron but don`t know this Arnie Hammer 

Btw I prefered Hoover title over this new one J.Edgar.

[KC]

Btw I prefered Hoover title over this new one J.Edgar.

Me, too. Maybe they thought Hoover would make audiences think it was about vacuum cleaners running amok?

[higashimori]

 " Armie Hammer's Wife Prefers Actor Kissing Leonardo DiCaprio In J. Edgar Hoover Biopic Over A Woman "

  Access Hollywood

 http://omg.yahoo.com/news/armie-hammers-wife-prefers-actor-kissing-leonardo-dicaprio-in-j-edgar-hoover-biopic-over-a-woman/52144

 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- When it comes to onscreen lip locks, the wife of Armie Hammer (the actor who played both of the Winklevoss twins in this fall's critically-acclaimed "The Social Network") would rather see her husband kiss Leonardo DiCaprio than kiss a female actress.

 

"We've been in talks for [the J. Edgar Hoover biopic] and it's the role of Clyde Tolson, who is sort of a confidant, right hand man and maybe lover for J. Edgar Hoover through the course of his starting, founding, running and creating the FBI.

"I haven't signed anything yet," the actor added.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Access' Top 10 Movies We Can't Wait For In 2011!

As for his possible love scenes, wife Elizabeth Chambers would prefer Armie kiss Leo than someone else.

"My wife is just happy I don't have to kiss another woman," Armie added.

The Clint Eastwood-directed J. Edgar Hoover biopic is slated to start filming in February 2011.

 

[ceinjapan]

On Top Magazine link

Legendary actor-director Clint Eastwood has said Leonardo DiCaprio “volunteered” to play the
lead in the upcoming biopic of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, titled J. Edgar.

Speaking on Tuesday to John Meneghetti during the red carpet for the California Hall of Fame induction ceremony,
 Eastwood said DiCaprio “volunteered” for the film because he liked the script.

“The script is a very good script and we were all preparing it and he [DiCaprio] liked the script,” Eastwood,
who'll direct the film based on a script by Milk scribe Dustin Lance Black, said. “He actually volunteered for it.”

Armie Hammer, the 24-year-old star of The Social Network, is reportedly in talks to play
the role of Clyde Tolson, Hoover's alleged lover. The men vehemently denied allegations they were in a romantic relationship.

Eastwood also confirmed that legendary British actress Judi Dench has been cast in the film.

“And Judi Dench is definitely in the film and there we are,” Eastwood said.

J. Edgar is set to begin filming early next year.

[KC]

Thanks, ceinjapan. I edited your post to shorten the link and to format the quoted material as a quote.

Here is a link to the source that's quoted in that post, one John "Sandwich John" Meneghetti. In the original, it appears as an internal link in the story:

http://www.sandwichjohnfilms.com/2010/12/clint-eastwood-j-edgar-judi-dench.html

And here is a quote from "Sandwich John," the man who actually got to speak to Eastwood on Tuesday night:

From a a distance a cloud of dust over takes the red carpet. And I hear the theme from The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. No, it can't be, a misty cloud comes over the area and I hear "Go ahead, make my day". Well, not really, but Clint Eastwood appears and I had no clue he was going to attend the ceremony.

I was so unprepared for this one. Mr. Eastwood walked the Red Carpet, taking a time out to talk to James Cameron. Again the BIG dogs get their chance to get the first crack at him. There was no way I was going to let this once in a life time chance to talk to Dirty Harry, pass me by...

The first thing I have to say is that Clint Eastwood is a SUPER nice guy and very charming person. Now onto the questions and trust me I have a few good ones:

... I asked him about his casting for the upcoming ... J. Edgar Hoover biopic (Which has been retitled J. Edgar) and how he went about casting Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover.

Eastwood- The script is a very good script and we were all preparing it and he liked the the script. He actually volunteered for it.

And the casting of Charlize Theron for the film?

Eastwood- We think she will be in the film (With a smile.) And Judi Dench is definitely in the film and there we are.

I thanked him as he shook my hand and made his way down the carpet.

[ceinjapan]

thanks for fix my post KC! 

[KC]

You are welcome!

[Dan Dassow]

After reading this brief article, I had visions that J. Edgar would be Clint Eastwood's version of The Producers (2005).   

The Villiage Voice (link)
Film

Leonardo DiCaprio Won't Wear Drag As J. Edgar Hoover
By Michael Musto, Tue., Dec. 21 2010 @ 3:00PM

Leonardo DiCaprio will kiss Social Network hottie Armie Hammer in Clint Eastwood's upcoming film about FBI bulldog J. Edgar Hoover.

But he won't don drag in the role! ...

Damn! I think Leo would look so cute in polka dots.

[Dan Dassow]

IndiWIRE (link)

Exclusive: Damon Herriman Joins Clint Eastwood’s ‘J. Edgar’
December 24, 2010

Reps for Australian actor Damon Herriman have confirmed that he has joined “J. Edgar” in a very unique role. Herriman has been cast as Bruno Hauptmann, the man convicted of kidnapping and killing the Lindbergh baby. His conviction later came into question however, with police accused of doctoring evidence as well as ignoring and intimidating witnesses. The questions raised prompted Hoover to launch an FBI inquiry into the handling of the case.

I'm sensing echoes of Changeling and Mystic River.

[higashimori]

" Armie Hammer on Playing an Elderly Character in Hoover "

 Jan 07, 2011 - By Krystal Clark

 http://screencrave.com/2011-01-07/armie-hammer-on-playing-an-elderly-character-in-hoover/

 

A month ago we learned that one of the breakout stars from The Social Network had joined the cast of Clint Eastwood’s upcoming biopic J. Edgar (formerly Hoover). The actor is Armie Hammer and he’s set to play the right hand man to Leonardo DiCaprio. Hammer recently opened up and gave some details regarding his role, and revealed that for some of the movie he’ll be highly unrecognizable.

In the film, Hammer plays lawyer-turned-FBI-official Clyde Tolson, whom was also rumored to be Hoover’s lover. Tolson was the associate director of the FBI from 1947 to 1972. He was in daily close contact with Hoover at the office and the pair often dined, socialized in night clubs, and even vacationed together.

The actor also confirmed that Judi Dench will star in the film, and she’ll be playing Hoover’s mother. Nice!

[MC]

Apparently Charlize Theron is out, with Naomi Watts and Amy Adams now under consideration:

Charlize Theron will not be playing the role of Helen Gandy, as was rumored. She's signing on for Snow White and the Huntsman at Universal and Eastwood is now looking at Naomi Watts and Amy Adams as possibles for the Gandy role.

Also, "Gossip Girl" star Ed Westwick has apparently landed a supporting role in the film:

As for Westwick, the British actor will play a clean cut operative with writing skill. Once Hoover discovers he can write, he conscripts Agent Smith to write Hoover's biography, until Smith gets a little too close to the truth.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/gossip-girls-ed-westwick-joins-j-edgar/

[Dan Dassow]

BBC (link)

Dame Judi Dench: 'Clint Eastwood phoned me yesterday'
Andrew Marr
16 January 2011 Last updated at 05:18 ET

... The Oscar winning actress confirmed she had been approached by Clint Eastwood to play opposite Leonardo DiCaprio as J Edgar Hoover's mother in a big budget biopic about the notorious FBI director. She said she had been "thrilled" by the phone call. ...

This is mentioned briefly at 7:30 in the video interview.

[higashimori]

 " Josh Lucas to play aviator Charles Lindbergh in Clint Eastwood's new film "

NEWSCORE

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/josh_lucas_new_play_aviator_charles_SfwIf0AsMmYJfFwfJJwrlN?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=

 

"Sweet Home Alabama" actor Josh Lucas will play pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie "J. Edgar," Deadline reported Tuesday.

The upcoming Warner Bros. biopic follows the personal life and career of J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI. It is scheduled for release in 2012.

During World War II, Lindbergh was the subject of intense scrutiny by the FBI, which he alleged was due to his criticism of then President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Lucas, 39, will play the celebrated aviator alongside "Inception" actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who has been cast in the lead role as Hoover. "Gossip Girl" star Ed Westwick will play Hoover's biographer, Agent Smith.

[MC]

According to DiCaprio's Twitter feed, he'll report to the set on Feb. 5:

Start shooting J. Edgar Hoover story on Feb. 5th, look forward to working on more eco projects this year too. #JEdgarHoover

http://twitter.com/#!/LeoDiCaprio

[Dan Dassow]

According to DiCaprio's Twitter feed, he'll report to the set on Feb. 5:

http://twitter.com/#!/LeoDiCaprio

I find it somewhat odd that they will start on a Saturday (5 February 2011).

[Dan Dassow]

Reuters (link)

Actors union boss cast in Eastwood's FBI movie
Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:16pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Screen Actors Guild president Ken Howard has booked a role in Clint Eastwood's FBI movie "J. Edgar," and will also appear in two episodes of NBC's "30 Rock."

... Howard will play U.S. Attorney General Harlan F. Stone, who was responsible for Hoover's hiring as the head of the Justice Department's Bureau of Investigation in 1924. The bureau was renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935. ...

Howard's role in "30 Rock" is being kept under wraps. He was elected to the unpaid SAG presidency in September 2009, just after winning an Emmy for his role as Phelan Beale in HBO's "Grey Gardens." He recently guest starred in the premiere episode of USA Network's "Fairly Legal."

[higashimori]

" Naomi Watts Joins Clint Eastwood’s ‘J. Edgar’ "

 Russ Fischer

 http://www.slashfilm.com/naomi-watts-joins-clint-eastwoods-j-edgar/

 

Quite a cast, then: in addition to Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover, we’ve got Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson, Hoover’s right-hand man and supposed lover; Ed Westwick as Agent Smith, a clean-cut operative hired by Hoover to write his biography; Josh Lucas is famed aviator Charles Lindbergh; Damon Herriman is Bruno Hauptmann, accused of kidnapping Lindbergh’s 20-month baby in 1932. whose trial was a big point in Hoover’s early career and, presumably in the film as well;  and Ken Howard is U.S. attorney General Harlan F. Stone.

The script is by Dustin Lance Black (Milk) and shooting stars shortly. Once this is done Clint Eastwood will bounce to the remake of A Star is Born, starring Beyoncé Knowles.

[higashimori]

 " Judi Dench keen to work with Clint Eastwood "

 Dame Judi Dench has always wanted to work with Clint Eastwood and hopes to star in James Bond movies until she dies.

 NZCity

 http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=125561&fm=newsmain,nrhl

 

Dame Judi Dench always wanted to work with Clint Eastwood.

The legendary British actress is preparing to start filming ‘J. Edgar’ – the biopic of former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover – alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and admits her main motivation for accepting the role was having the actor-turned-director at the helm.

She said: “I'm flying off next week to do a movie with Clint Eastwood, I play J. Edgar Hoover's mother. What attracted me to the role? Clint Eastwood of course!”

[Dan Dassow]

Variety (link)

Posted: Tue., Jan. 25, 2011, 7:37pm PT
Naomi Watts joins 'J. Edgar' cast
By Dave McNary

Naomi Watts has joined the cast of Warner Bros.' "J. Edgar," opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Ed Westwick, Damon Herriman, Armie Hammer, Ken Howard and Josh Lucas.

Watts will portray Helen Gandy, the longtime personal secretary to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. Gandy began working for Hoover in 1918 and continued in that role until he passed away in 1972.

First Showing (link)

Naomi Watts Lands Desk Job as FBI Secretary for 'J. Edgar' in Biopic
January 26, 2011
Source: Variety
by Ethan Anderton

Though the role was once a consideration for Charlize Theron, the actress chose to take the part of the evil queen in Snow White and the Huntsman instead of a supporting role in Clint Eastwood's biopic J. Edgar. However, now we have word on what lovely actress end up taking part in the story of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover as Variety reports Naomi Watts has stepped up to fill the gap in the cast. The Australian actress will play Helen Gandy, a Justice Department file clerk who ended up being Hoover’s personal secretary. She loyally worked for Hoover starting in 1918 and stayed in that position until Hoover passed away in 1972.

[Dan Dassow]

This is a very interesting interview. Since it include new information about the J. Edgar Hoover film, I've included in this thread.

The Wall Street Journal (link)

THE WEEKEND INTERVIEW
JANUARY 29, 2011

A Hollywood Icon Lays Down the Law
As he takes on the story of J. Edgar Hoover, the filmmaker talks about movie lawmen, his Korean War days and the flat tax.

By MICHAEL JUDGE
Carmel, Calif.

... Mr. Eastwood is deep into his latest project, a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial and secretive founder of the modern FBI. "If you're doing a biography, you try to stay as accurate as possible to reality," he says. "But you really don't know what was going on in the person's mind. You just know what was going on in the minds of people around him."

The Hoover screenplay was written by Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning writer of the 2008 film "Milk" about the life and 1978 murder of gay-rights activist and San Francisco City Councilman Harvey Milk. When I ask if the screenplay addresses reports by former FBI employees that Hoover was a cross-dresser and perhaps a closeted homosexual, Mr. Eastwood says not really. In fact, what attracted him to the screenplay was the fact that it "didn't quite go down that road."

As with all his films, Mr. Eastwood didn't rely on others to do his research. "I went back and read probably all the material that [Mr. Black] had read. . . . I went and visited with the FBI in Washington, D.C., and tried to find out as much as I could about people who had worked with Hoover."

Mr. Eastwood's main interests are the workings of a sprawling, crime-fighting bureaucracy and how a young man—Hoover was 29 when he was made director of the Bureau of Investigation in 1924—survived to serve eight presidents, from Calvin Coolidge to Richard Nixon. Hoover was, in many ways, "the most powerful guy in the country," says Mr. Eastwood, "at a time when America was by far the most powerful country" in the world.

The film spans Hoover's entire career ...