Leonardo DiCaprio says he won't be wearing a dress to play J. Edgar Hoover

Leonardo DiCaprio is tackling another serious role with a biopic for Clint Eastwood about J. Edgar Hoover.

Credit: AP Photo

Leonardo DiCaprio is no stranger to playing historical characters on the big screen having already portrayed Howard Hughes in "The Aviator," infamous con man Frank Abagnale, Jr. in "Catch Me I You Can" and poet Arthur Rimbaud in "Total Eclipse."  While discussing his upcoming Christopher Nolan thriller "Inception" today, DiCaprio confirmed earlier reports that he's hard at work on a biopic of notorious FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.

"I am talking to Clint Eastwood about playing J. Edgar Hoover who had his hand in some of the most scandalous moments in American history," DiCaprio says.  "Everything from the Vietnam war to and Dillinger to Martin Luther King and JFK. So, it's about the secret life of J. Edgar Hoover."

Of course, after his death in 1972, one of the biggest scandals about the intelligence director whose name struck fear into the hearts of many American minority groups (and not to mention Presidents and politicians) was that Hoover was actually homosexual himself.  There are even more unsubstantiated rumors that he was a crossdresser.  DiCaprio, who played gay in "Eclipse," says that subject will be addressed, but don't expect to see the Oscar-Nominated actor him in drag.  At least, not yet.

"Will I wear a dress? Not as of yet," DiCaprio says in answer to a question on the subject.  "No, we haven't done the fitting for those. So, I don't think so."

One thing DiCaprio didn't reveal is when a Hoover film might go into production or if it would be his next picture.

"Inception" opens nationwide and on IMAX on July 16.