It seems that Joaquin Phoenix is definitely going back to acting after his “retirement” from the business was revealed to be a hoax last week. The actor is attached to star in the foot-fetish dramedy Big Shoe and might be offered a role opposite Jennifer Garner in The Odd Life of Timothy Green.  Now, Vulture is reporting that Clint Eastwood is interested in having Phoenix star as J. Edgar Hoover’s gay lover and protégé, Clyde Tolson, in his upcoming biopic, Hoover.  Leonardo DiCaprio has been attached to star as Hoover and it looks like an offer will be made to Phoenix once a deal is fully finalized with DiCaprio. Hit the jump to find out more about Clyde Tolson and Hoover’s relationship, and what we know about the film so far.

I don’t really know too much about J. Edgar Hoover’s private life, but it certainly sounds like an interesting one.  Vulture tells us that Hoover and Tolson had a very complicated relationship.  Both men never admitted that they were a gay couple and Hoover was “known for hunting down and intimidating those who dared questioned his sexual preference while he was alive.”  Tolson eventually inherited Hoover’s estate, moved into his house, accepted the U.S flag at Hoover’s funeral, and was the sole beneficiary of Hoover’s life-insurance policy.  Until this day, both men’s graves are only a few yards away from each other at the Congressional Cemetery.

Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) wrote the screenplay for the film, and it seems that Hoover’s and Tolson’s relationship will be a primary focus in the film.  It’s also safe to assume that this will probably be Eastwood’s next project.  I’m personally excited and very curious to see how Eastwood and the film will portray such a controversial and fascinating figure as Hoover, and I’m sure that DiCaprio and Phoenix will deliver some great performances, as they usually do.