One by one, the cast for Clint Eastwood‘s “J. Edgar” continues to fill out.
Deadline reports that Naomi Watts has signed on to the film, in the role of Helen Gandy, a Justice Department file clerk who ended up being Hoover’s personal secretary and confidant, privy to many of his secrets. The role was recently vacated by Charlize Theron — who is eyeing tentpole roles in “Snow White And The Huntsman” and “Prometheus” — and Amy Adams was also said to be in contention for the part. However, Watts was apparently the frontrunner all along and it was just a matter of scheduling to get her slotted into the film.
‘Edgar’ will be headlined by Leonardo DiCaprio in the titular role and among those in the impressive supporting cast are “The Social Network” breakout star Armie Hammer playing Hoover’s assistant/closeted lover Clyde Tolson; Josh Lucas as famed aviator Charles Lindbergh; Ed Westwick as Agent Smith, an operative gifted with writing skills; Damon Herriman as Bruno Hauptmann, the man convicted of kidnapping and killing the Lindbergh baby; and Judi Dench as Hoover’s mother and Ken Howard as lawyer and jurist Harlan F. Stone, who served as the 52nd Attorney General of the United States.
The film is set to begin lensing shortly, with a fall release date likely. And Eastwood will be moving fast as he’s already lined up his next project, the musical “A Star Is Born” with Beyoncé. No, really.
