#Leonardo #DiCaprio #lost #role #Titanic
Leonardo DiCaprio almost lost his role in Titanic.
James Cameron almost didn’t cast Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson in Titanic, claiming the actor showed up to the audition with the attitude of a diva.
The film’s director recalled meeting DiCaprio before the record-breaking 1997 film in interview with G.K published on Tuesday, noting that Kate Winslet had already been cast as Rose DeWitt Bukater.
“So Leo came along – of course he charmed everyone, including me,” explained the 68-year-old Cameron. “And I said, ‘Okay, let’s see what your chemistry is with Kate.’
According to the film’s creator, DiCaprio – who was 22 when the film hit theaters – thought it meant “another meeting with Kate.” But in reality, Cameron called him to record two lines of lyrics together.
“And he said, ‘You mean I read? And I said, “Yes.” He said, “Oh, I don’t read,” Cameron stated, adding that his response was to shake the 41-year-old actor’s hand and thank him “for coming.”
“He said, ‘Wait, wait, wait. You mean if I don’t read it, I won’t get the part? Just like that?’” continued the director.
“And I said, ‘Oh, yes. Come on. It’s like a giant movie that’s going to take two years of my life… so I’m not going to screw it up by making a bad casting decision. So you’ll read or you won’t get the part.”
According to Cameron, DiCaprio gasped and gasped, but he agreed to read with Winslet – reluctantly.
“Every ounce of his whole being is so negative,” recalls the director, “until I said, ‘Action!'”
Cameron said that DiCaprio immediately “turned into Jack”.
“Kate just got fired up and they got into it all and he did that scene,” he explained. “The dark clouds opened up and this ray of sunshine descended and illuminated Jack. I say, “Okay, that’s the guy.”
Titanic won 11 of the 14 Academy Awards it was nominated for and secured DiCaprio’s place as one of the most influential actors of the century.