Few actors better reflect the personality and attributes of a true Hollywood star than Leonardo DiCaprio, the A-list actor dabbling in both indies and blockbuster films with equal charming professionalism. From his role as Rose’s lover aboard the Titanic to his more recent portrayal of Jordan Belfort in Martin Scorsese’s Crazy The wolf of Wall StreetDiCaprio has long dominated the big screen with his good looks and acting skills.
Working on several television programs in his youth, DiCaprio quickly transitioned to the big screen with roles in This boy’s life alongside Robert De Niro at just 17 years old, as well as What eats Gilbert Raisin, directed by Lasse Hallström, which would propel the young actor towards an early Oscar nomination. From that point DiCaprio became an undisputed Hollywood icon, working alongside filmmakers such as James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Clint Eastwood, Sam Mendes, Danny Boyle, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.
Indeed, DiCaprio ticked most of the most iconic directors of all time off his list of those he would want to work with, as he puts it. The discussions in 2011, there are still filmmakers who escape his collaboration.
Speaking to the publication, DiCaprio was asked which other directors he would like to work with, to which he replied, “There are a lot of directors I would always love to work with. Paul Thomas Anderson is someone with who I would like to work with. I think Alejandro González Iñárritu is very talented. Ang Lee is very talented. I mean, there are a lot of people. There are a lot of great directors there.”
DiCaprio’s wishes were granted, at least in part, when he collaborated with Iñárritu in 2015 for The ghost, where he starred as Hugh Glass, a frontier who is mauled by a bear and forced to fight for his survival. Also starring Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson and Will Poulter, the film would be fateful for DiCaprio, earning him the Academy Award for Best Lead Actor; lucky fourth time.
As for Paul Thomas Anderson and Ang Lee, DiCaprio is still continuing their collaboration, unsure when, or if, those teams will ever occur.
As for PTA, however, DiCaprio may have simply squandered his luck after turning down the opportunity to appear in the director’s 1997 comedy-drama. boogie nights, with the role going to Mark Wahlberg instead. It wasn’t all bad for The ghost actor, however, because he chose the James Cameron film Titanic instead, a film that would become the third highest-grossing film of all time as well as a cultural staple.
Watch this space, however, as it appears PTA is keen to work with DiCaprio as well, explaining in a 2018 interview, “I love Leo and I loved him then because I was obsessed with Gilbert Grape… But stepping back before that , This boys life was a fucking amazing movie… Leo and I will work together one day and it will be the right thing, but it will happen”.
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