He received universal acclaim for portraying the Winklevoss twins in 2010’s “The Social Network.” Now, Armie Hammer follows-up that success with a dramatic turn in Warner Bros.’ new, controversial biopic, “J. Edgar” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Clint Eastwood. Hammer plays Clyde Tolson, J. Edgar Hoover’s closest colleague and constant companion – a performance for which he recently got nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Screen Actors Guild.
Trust was vital to the legendary Hoover – director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for nearly 50 years — though he bestowed his trust on only a few individuals over the course of his lifetime, those few he felt were truly loyal to him. In order to paint a complete portrait of the man, it was critical to the filmmakers to capture those key relationships that helped reflect and reveal who he was, beginning with his friend, Clyde Tolson.
From producer Brian Grazer’s perspective, “The relationship these two men had was one of companionship and joy, but also loneliness and isolation. They were both a product of their time.”
DiCaprio says, “They ate lunch and dinner together every day, went on vacations together. Whether they were together in any other respect…well, no one living knows the truth. In the film, it’s seen as almost an unrequited love, but a lasting one, nonetheless.”
Hammer says that, whatever their personal relationship, “Clyde was always dutifully by the Director’s side, literally his right-hand man. That was just the way they operated.”
Armie was terrific as Tolson,” Grazer states. “He was so polished in the part and brought a very subtle but tangible energy to the role, and he had a very natural rapport with Leo.”
Though there was not nearly as much information to be found about Tolson as there was Hoover, Hammer dug deep to learn about his character. “I hired a professional researcher, and she helped me find everything that’s out there on Tolson, even his junior high school year book,” he says. “According to some of the old FBI guys he was very observant, often the smartest man in the room. He was nicknamed ‘the human computer’ because he had a photographic memory. So even apart from any attraction there might have been, it’s easy to see why Hoover would rely on him so heavily.”
Hammer is emerging as one of Hollywood’s most promising young actors. His performance as the Winklevoss twins in the award-winning film “The Social Network” garnered him critical praise and positioned him as one of Hollywood’s breakouts of the year. Hammer was nominated Most Promising Performer by the Chicago Film Critics Association, and awarded Best Supporting Actor by the Toronto Film Critics Association. The film received a Screen Actors Guild Award® nomination for Best Ensemble as well as Best Picture at the Golden Globes, and eight Academy Award® nominations, of which it won three.
In 2012, Hammer will begin production on “The Lone Ranger,” in the title role, alongside Johnny Depp and under the direction of Gore Verbinski.
Opening soon across the Philippines, “J. Edgar” was produced under the banners of Imagine Entertainment and Malpaso. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.