Leonardo DiCaprio opened up about the directors he wants to work with during a candid conversation with Jennifer Lawrence for Variety’s Actors on Actors. The Oscar-winner, known for picking roles with precision, shared which filmmakers he respects the most and which dream collaborators are still on his bucket list.
Leonardo DiCaprio on his ‘white whale’ filmmakers
When Jennifer Lawrence asked about directors he’s itching to work with, Leonardo DiCaprio called them his “white whales,” nodding to his longtime admiration for auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson. Even though he doesn’t specifically have one, DiCaprio singled out Damien Chazelle, the genius behind La La Land and Babylon, as “very talented.” He also praised Michael Mann as “amazing,” hinting he’d love to collaborate with both down the line. ( via Variety)
Looking back on his history with Paul Thomas Anderson, the One Battle After Another actor shared that he almost partnered with the director on Boogie Nights. “We almost did Boogie Nights together, and then I got to watch his entire career progress over the last 25 years and see this incredible visionary.”
For the uninitiated, Leonardo DiCaprio was originally set to join Boogie Nights but chose Titanic instead. When asked about the decision, he explained, “It was a hybrid of that. Titanic and Boogie Nights kind of overlapped in production. Maybe it could have worked out.” Even though it’s been over 30 years since he passed on the film, DiCaprio has often admitted he regrets saying no, reminiscing on what could have been a legendary collaboration.
In a different interview with Paul Thomas Anderson, he called Boogie Nights a “profound movie of his generation”. He praised Mark Wahlberg’s performance, saying no one else could have done it justice. Watching it later, DiCaprio realized it was a true masterpiece and acknowledged the irony of discussing regrets with Anderson. “I can’t imagine anyone but Mark [Wahlberg] in it. When I finally got to see that movie, I just thought it was a masterpiece. It’s ironic that you’re the person asking that question [about regrets], but it’s true.”
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on ComingSoon.
