Leonardo DiCaprio isn’t only one of the best actors working today, but certainly one of the most committed. Between eating raw animal meat for The Revenant, learning a South African accent in Blood Diamond, and making a massive physical transformation to play Howard Hughes in The Aviator, DiCaprio’s ability to invest fully in his roles has become one of the most exciting facets of his stardom. DiCaprio has made it a habit to work with almost all of the best directors working today, so it is not surprising in the slightest that he took the opportunity to work with Clint Eastwood. While the film itself ended up receiving mixed reviews, DiCaprio cited playing J. Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar as the single “most challenging” role of his career.
Why Was Filming ‘J. Edgar’ So Challenging for Leonardo DiCaprio?
J. Edgar is an immersive biopic that explores the entire life of the infamous head of the FBI, tackling significant details about his history and relationships that were not as widely known. While Hoover commanded a stern reputation based on the ruthless practices he had in place to ensure America’s security, J. Edgar puts a spotlight on the temperamental relationship he had with his mother (Judi Dench), as well as an extended romance with his co-worker Clyde (Armie Hammer). To prepare for the role, DiCaprio “put a lot of research and preparation into” learning about Hoover, and found himself surprised his mother was “as that much of a driving force in his political decisions and his life and really was what motivated him careerwise.”
DiCaprio also cited Eastwood’s unique shooting style as a challenge, as Eastwood has been known to film projects at an alarming rate, and often refuses to call “cut” or “action” while filming. DiCaprio cited the production of J.Edgar as an “adrenaline rush,” and mentioned that Eastwood “likes to keep things spontaneous, with very little rehearsal, to keep you on your toes.” DiCaprio revealed that the stricter shooting schedule required him to be fully aware of the character and his motivations from the moment that shooting began; the role also required to him spend over six hours in a makeup chair in order to shoot the final scenes where Hoover is much older.
‘J. Edgar’ Is an Underrated Clint Eastwood Movie
While it doesn’t quite rank on the same level as Eastwood’s Best Picture winners Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, J. Edgar is a very well-executed historical drama that is far more interesting and subversive than it is often given credit for. While it would have been easy for Eastwood to create a highlight reel of Hoover’s most famous moments, J. Edgar seems interested in unpacking his insecurities as a man, which fueled him to be more aggressive as an espionage agent. Hoover earned the reputation of being cruel and remorseless, but DiCaprio depicts him as being a lonely child with a serious case of arrested development.
J. Edgar is also a quite inventive film in terms of structure, as Eastwood chooses to shoot many scenes from Hoover’s perspective in which the truth is conflated with the dreams he had about the way he is perceived. While Hoover claims to have been on the frontlines during every step of each investigation, it is eventually shown towards the third act that much of his legacy was built on lies and propaganda. Eastwood has never been shy about infusing politics into his historical films, and crafting a takedown as scathing as J. Edgar is almost certainly one of the boldest creative decisions that he has ever made.
J. Edgar is currently available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the U.S.
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