“He didn’t want to do it”: Leonardo DiCaprio Thought His Best Romantic Movie Was Boring
Leonardo DiCaprio is without a doubt one of the finest actors in the industry who rose to international stardom with Romeo+ Juliet which was released in 1996. It was followed by his iconic and highest-grossing movie in the world at the time; Titanic which was released in 1997.
DiCaprio starred alongside Kate Winslet in the romantic disaster movie directed by James Cameron. Titanic was based on both historical and fictionalized aspects of the accounts of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. The actor however didn’t want to be a part of the movie that went on to garner him the love and attention of the audience. Let’s find out why.
Leonardo DiCaprio thought Titanic was ‘boring’
Filmmaker James Cameron in a conversation with People magazine went ahead to reveal that Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t want to star in Titanic. He said,
“He didn’t want to do a leading man. I had to really twist his arm to be in the movie. He didn’t want to do it. He thought it was boring.”
The director further mentioned that he did manage to convince DiCaprio to star as Jack in Titanic and explained to him that it was a difficult challenge. He added,
“It didn’t surprise me, first of all, that he’s made a lot of authentic choices going forward. And secondly I never doubted his talent.”
While promoting his movie Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron shared with the publication that the studios didn’t want Leonardo DiCaprio. He added that Kate Winslet liked him so he had to convince the studios and then DiCaprio to make the beloved couple Jack-Rose come alive on-screen.
James Cameron mentioned in an interview that he couldn’t imagine making Titanic without Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in it.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s co-star Lily Gladstone recalls her obsession with the actor in Titanic
Actress Lily Gladstone who starred opposite the actor in the Killers of the Flower Moon revealed that she was obsessed with DiCaprio when Titanic was released. She said via People,
“It’s one of the first things I spent my allowance on. I pre-ordered the double VHS set from Toys ‘R’ Us when that was still around. I loved that movie for the film, and for Kate Winslet. Leo was great in it because Jack Dawson was great.”
Gladstone continued,
“And it’s funny, whenever I had crushes in sixth grade-because the year that it came out for me- I would kind of project my crushes into Jack Dawson. It was never on Jack Dawson. I had been a fan of Leo long before that. My first film that I watch him in was I can’t remember which one came first, but it was either What’s Eating Gilbert Grape or This Boy’s Life.”
She lastly added that she loved Romeo+Juliet. In an interview with EW, she spoke very highly of the actor while working on the movie; she said;
“We worked together very easily. When we were volleying things back and forth, there was a natural cadence that developed. He also wanted to learn how Ernest would help Mollie put her blanket on or take it off. So, we developed this actor’s language for these two characters that ends up being very seamless. And it all goes to serve that grand betrayal.”
The two of them have been highly appreciated for their performance in the movie.
Killers of the Flower Moon is available to stream on Apple TV+.
