Leonardo DiCaprio Practically Misplaced Out On “Titanic” As a result of He Was “So Unfavorable”

Leonardo DiCaprio has embodied numerous memorable characters all through his profession, however when it comes right down to it, none are maybe as globally iconic as his main function in a little-known film referred to as Titanic.

Leo and Kate Winslet starred within the 1997 blockbuster as Jack and Rose, and their stellar performances rapidly solidified them as probably the most recognizable onscreen duos in cinema historical past.

Nevertheless, based on their director, the pairing was near being scrapped.

Sitting right down to retrace the behind-the-scenes magic of a few of his most iconic titles with GQ this week, James Cameron recalled the contentious casting course of for Titanic.

First off, the filmmaker defined that hiring Kate for the main half was a no brainer, and occurred “pretty early on” within the seek for their stars.

Regardless of having initially thought-about Gwyneth Paltrow for Rose, Kate got here in and gave a “implausible” audition, immediately bagging herself the gig.

As for her costar, the method wasn’t such clean crusing, in case you’ll excuse the pun.

With Kate firmly on board, the seek for Jack was underway, and having not too long ago scored his first Oscar nomination for What’s Consuming Gilbert Grape in 1994, Leo was up.

James recalled his first assembly with Leo and mirrored on the inevitable buzz across the younger film star.

“I’m sitting in my convention room, ready to satisfy an actor, and I go searching and all the ladies from all the workplace are within the assembly,” he laughed. “They only all needed to satisfy Leo. It was hysterical.”

Unsurprisingly, Leo’s first assembly was a roaring success, with James saying that he “charmed” all people, himself included. Nevertheless, this wasn’t fairly sufficient to seal the deal.

Earlier than they might supply him the half, Leo must staff up with Kate for a display check, which is the place issues bought just a little difficult.

“He got here again a few days later, and I had the digicam set as much as file the video,” the director recalled. “He didn’t know he was going to check. He thought it was one other assembly to satisfy Kate.”

At this level, James mentioned that Leo refused to learn with Kate, almost bringing the audition to an abrupt ending.

“I mentioned, ‘Okay, we’ll simply go within the subsequent room, and we’ll run some strains and I’ll video it.’ And he mentioned, ‘You imply, I’m studying?’ I mentioned, ‘Yeah.’ He mentioned, ‘Oh, I don’t learn,’” James remembered. “I shook his hand and mentioned, ‘Thanks for coming by.’”

Wanting to get the half, the sudden dismissal shook Leo and prompted him to rethink, asking: “Wait, wait, wait. If I don’t learn, I don’t get the half? Similar to that?”

In response, James set the file straight, making it clear that Leo wouldn’t be allowed to chop corners if he needed to be solid.

“‘Oh, yeah. Come on. This can be a large film that’s going to take two years of my life, and also you’ll be gone doing 5 different issues whereas I’m doing post-production,’” he advised the actor. “‘So, I’m not going to fuck it up by making the mistaken resolution in casting. So, you’re going to learn, otherwise you’re not going to get the half.’”

Leo agreed to the display check, however apparently wasn’t overly enthusiastic — till the cameras began rolling.

“So he is available in, and he’s like each ounce of his total being is simply so unfavourable — proper up till I mentioned, ‘Motion.’ Then he changed into Jack,” James mentioned of the display check. “Kate simply lit up, they usually performed the scene. Darkish clouds had opened up, and a ray of solar got here down and lit up Jack. I’m like, ‘All proper. He’s the man.’”

After all, you don’t want us to let you know that he clearly made the proper resolution, with Leo and Kate’s palpable onscreen chemistry serving to launch the film to stratospheric ranges of success.

Wanting again on his selection, the Academy Award winner mirrored on how “fragile” the casting course of may be, and the way it can outline the success of a film, together with the remainder of an actor’s profession.

“You attempt to think about that film with out Leo or Kate, it’s very exhausting to do,” James mentioned, acknowledging that on the time Leo was solid, the film had been barely out of his consolation zone.

He mentioned that Leo — who was 21 when Titanic was shot — had been keen to offer Jack’s character a extra sophisticated edge, saying that he’d even instructed they alter the script to offer him “some affliction” and a “traumatic factor from the previous.”

Nevertheless, James felt this wasn’t needed and proceeded to offer him some pointers to assist him execute the efficiency in a extra refined method.

“I mentioned, ‘Look, you’ve performed all these nice characters that every one have an issue, whether or not it’s dependancy or no matter it’s…you’ve gotta discover ways to maintain the middle and never have all that stuff,’” he advised Leo. “‘You then’ll be prepared for this,’” he added.

This was apparently a serious turning level for the actor and finally helped him to grasp the function.

“The second I mentioned that, it clicked for him that this was a very exhausting, difficult movie for him,” James recalled. “[Leo] didn’t need one thing that was simple, he needed one thing that was exhausting, and that’s been his intuition since then.”