J. Edgar, director Clint Eastwood's biopic of the infamous longtime leader of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reaches theaters on Wednesday, Nov, 9. Starring as the controversial and enigmatic figure is Leonardo DiCaprio. At the AFI Festival red carpet event for the film, we got a chance to talk to both DiCaprio and Eastwood, as well as cast member Dermot Mulroney, who plays then-Colonel H. Norman "Stormin' Normin'" Schwarzkopf.
DiCaprio spoke about the range he needed to channel in playing the central character in a film that spans more than fifty years. DiCaprio expressed his fascination with the figure and his life, which is what led him to involvement with the project.
Naturally, the topic of Hoover's oft debated homosexuality comes into play in the film, and spurred a few questions on the red carpet. Below, Eastwood explained that while he did look into Hoover's romantic life in the biopic, he was not interested in exploring the rumors of the figure's practice of cross-dressing. However, he was totally on board with including the talked about kiss between DiCaprio and Armie Hammer, who plays FBI deputy director and Hoover's rumored lover Clyde Tolson.
Finally, Mulroney spoke a little bit about his experience on set, growing from a humble police officer involved in the Lindberg Baby case to a decorated colonel in the United States Army, and learning from both star DiCaprio and director Eastwood. The actor expressed the thing with which he is most impressed by Eastwood, which might give you a laugh.