Naomi Watts joins J Edgar film
2011-01-26 21:56
Los Angeles - Naomi Watts is to star
in Clint Eastwood's biopic J. Edgar.
The Australian actress will star as
the FBI director John Edgar Hoover's secretary of 54 years Helen Gandy, who
after his death, destroyed his personal file containing incriminating material
that he used to control powerful political figures.
Although Naomi, 42, was studio
bosses' first choice for the role, feared schedule conflicts meant Charlize
Theron was considered to step in - but she instead accepted the role of the
Evil Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman
and is also rumoured to be case in Ridley Scott's Prometheus.
Now the King Kong star is confirmed, she will act opposite Leonardo
DiCaprio - playing John - and Gossip Girl
actor Ed Westwick.
Veteran director Clint will work
alongside production company Imagine's Brian Grazer and Ron Howard as well as
his Malpaso partner Rob Lorenz to produce the movie.
Dame Judi Dench is also set to star
as Hoover's mother.
Late last year Watts said she would
love to star in a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.
She revealed plans were afoot for
the project, but no script had been written for her to sign up to.
She said: "It sounded like a
good idea, but the script's not there yet. I'd love to have been a Hitchcock
blonde."
"A few directors I've worked
with have been heavily influenced by Hitchcock, so I feel like I've gotten
close."