The Blue-Eyed Babe Who Rebelled Against Conformity
The ever-evolving phenomena that is Leonardo DiCaprio’s career ranges from that unknown blue-eyed babe in TV to having the dubious pleasure of becoming the Poster Boy for teenage hormones run rampant to hotshot Hollywood leading man. Very few actors are fortunate to have the diverse career Leo has. Also, very few have the pleasure of working with critically acclaimed directors such as Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan.
Leonardo DiCaprio is, of course, Martin Scorsese’s favorite leading man, and has cast him in numerous projects, the first one being Gangs of New York in 2002 (also starring Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day Lewis) and, recently, in Shutter Island.
Martin Scorsese and I have this in common.
Not the casting part (I wish). Leonardo DiCaprio is my favorite Hollywood actor, has been since I first laid eyes on him in James Cameron’s epic Titanic (1997). Suffice it to say that, like every other woman during that period, I nearly pee in my pants whenever the name Leonardo DiCaprio came up.
Since then, my interest in DiCaprio has improved into a more mature stage (mostly). I’ve admired the choices he’s made in his career.
For instance, I’ve admired how he refused to be conformed to the teenage heartthrob status he’d attained after the success of Titanic (which, by the way, surpassed all box office records and had been the highest-grossing films of all time –– today, it is second only to James Cameron’s other epic, Avatar). DiCaprio’s portrayal of heroic and romantic Jack Dawson, coupled with his obvious chemistry with co-star Kate Winslet, made females swoon, dawning the era of the Leo Mania. On numerous occasions, Leo stated how he disliked the attention.
“It was pretty disheartening to be objectified like that. I wanted to stop acting for a little bit. But it changed my life in a lot of ways, but at the same time, I can’t say that it didn’t give me opportunities. It made me, for the first time, in control of my career.” –– Leonardo DiCaprio on Titanic
Unlike other actors who found fame as teen heartthrobs, Leonardo didn’t spend the next few years playing hunky leading men in movies meant for the adolescent demographic. Instead, he starred in Woody Allen’s satirical film Celebrity (1998) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1998). His image as a teeny-bopper’s walking wet dream faded around 2002, when he starred in Catch Me If You Can with Tom Hanks and in Gangs of New York, his first of many Martin Scorsese collaborations. By the time his next movie, The Aviator (2004), was released, Leonardo DiCaprio was no longer identified as a teen heartthrob but has established himself as a serious actor.
Another reason why I am so fascinated with him is because, unlike many of his contemporaries, Leonardo DiCaprio is a surprisingly versatile actor. He has proven himself to be bankable as a romantic hero (Romeo + Juliet, Titanic), a drug-addled teen (The Basketball Diaries), and a leading man in gritty, dark films (The Departed). And you know that he carefully chooses his projects. All his films are hailed by critics and fans alike and are often award-winning (or, at the very least, always nominated). So you know he’s not only in it for the cash, but for the prestige and the desire to work with a particular artistic individual.
His penchant for portraying conflicted, tortured souls means all films he’s in is sure to be a complicated, intelligent project. Take Inception –– his character is, in a sense, a thief who deals with the fact that his wife (driven crazy by their line of work) framed him for her murder when it truth she had committed suicide. He plays Cobb so well, displaying despair and grief perfectly. It’s why I love watching his movies –– I know I’m in for a roller coaster ride that will leave me breathless and wanting more.
Another reason why I love him is that, unlike so many actors, he’s totally upfront about who he is. There is no bullshit, no illusions. He’s an actor navigating his way through Hollywood. And unlike so many of his egotistical colleagues, Leonardo DiCaprio knows how good he’s got it.
“You kidding? I feel very fortunate. A lot of people would love to be in my position. There are so many people out there who are suffering trillions of times more than I could ever suffer, and would love to be me. I am a lucky little bastard.” – Leonardo DiCaprio when asked on whether there are any aspects of fame he dislikes.
References:
· Leonardo DiCaprio – Biography. 2011. Leonardo DiCaprio – Biography. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000138/bio. [Accessed 28 May 2011]
· Leonardo DiCaprio: Biography from Answers.com. 2011. Leonardo DiCaprio: Biography from Answers.com. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.answers.com/topic/leonardo-dicaprio. [Accessed 28 May 2011]
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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