Naomi Watts will be Leonardo DiCaprio’s personal secretary in J. Edgar

Since it was reported that Charlize Theron would not be taking up Clint Eastwood’s offer to star as ‘Helen Gandy’ in his upcoming Hoover biopic J. EDGAR, that left a sizeable, star-powered hole in the director’s sure to be awards darling for next year. That hole however has been plugged, according to Deadline, as Naomi Watts will now be stepping into the role of Hoover’s personal secretary and trusted confidant.

Gandy worked under Hoover for 54 years. She was considered the ultimate keeper of his secrets and was also a behind-the-scenes influence on the inner workings of the FBI. After his death, Gandy destroyed all of Hoover’s personal files, files that contained incriminating materials used to manipulate and control the most powerful figures in D.C.

Watts joins a cast that includes Armie Hammer (THE SOCIAL NETWORK) as ‘Clyde Tolson’, Hoover’s alleged lover; Ed Westwick (“Gossip Girl”) as ‘Agent Smith’, a clean-cut operative; Ken Howard (“Grey Gardens”) as U.S. Attorney General Harlan F. Stone; Josh Lucas (THE LINCOLN LAWYER) as aviator Charles Lindbergh; and Damon Herriman (“Justified”) who plays Bruno Hauptmann, the German immigrant accused of kidnapping Lindbergh’s 20-month old baby in 1932.