Leonardo DiCaprio's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Growing Pains Luke Brower 100 Greatest Teen Stars Leonardo Di… Celebrities Uncensored Leonardo Di… Parenthood Garry Buckman

Main Movie Roles

BIOGRAPHY:

Leonardo DiCaprio's name allegedly derives from his German mother Irmalin's having experienced a sudden kick from her unborn boy while enjoying a DaVinci painting at the Uffizi. In the year following his birth, she and his Italian father, George, were divorced. He grew up in Echo Park, then a particularly seedy, drug-dominated area of Los Angeles. At five he appeared on his favorite TV show Romper Room (1953) and was nearly thrown off for misbehaving. After a string of commercials, educational films ("Mickey's Safety Club"), occasional parts in TV series, a debut film role as Josh in Critters 3 (1991), a continuing role as the homeless boy Luke in the TV series Growing Pains (1985), he got his break-through part as Toby in This Boy's Life (1993), co-starring with 'Robert De Niro' and 'Ellen Barkin'.

The part led the New York Film Critics and the National Society of Film Critics to name him runner-up for Best Supporting Actor. His first Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations came for the difficult role of Arnie in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993). Equally challenging parts were a drug-troubled Jim Carroll in The Basketball Diaries (1995), the tormented homosexual poet Rimbaud in Total Eclipse (1995), and the angry teenage son of a harried mother in Marvin's Room (1996). He made a major impact with his starring role in a very updated Romeo + Juliet (1996). Superstardom came to DiCaprio playing Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997), highest grossing film ever, tied with Ben-Hur (1959) for most Academy Awards, though Leo himself was not nominated. His performance in the remake of The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) was poorly received, but the film still turned a profit. His next major film, The Beach (2000), was not a success, but he made another comeback in Catch Me If You Can (2002) and remains an A-list star.


TRIVIA:

• Screen tested for the part of Robin in _Batman Forever (1995)_ (qv).
• Has said his two favorite performances are 'Robert De Niro' (qv)'s Travis Bickle in _Taxi Driver (1976)_ (qv) and 'James Dean (I)' (qv)'s Cal Trask in _East of Eden (1955)_ (qv).
• His father, 'George DiCaprio (I)' (qv), is of German and Italian descent and is an underground writer, editor and distributor of comic books. His mother, 'Irmelin DiCaprio' (qv), is German and a former legal secretary.
• Named #36 on Empire Magazine's 100 Sexiest Movie Stars. (2007).
• (2000) A Manhattan appeals court decided to go ahead with a $45 million lawsuit against DiCaprio by actor and screenwriter 'Roger Wilson (I)' (qv) for allegedly encouraging his friends in a street fight with Wilson over advances DiCaprio's friends made toward Wilson's girlfriend, 'Elizabeth Berkley' (qv).
• He is an environmental conservationist and often advocates and supports natural causes.
• Considered for the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in _Spider-Man (2002)_ (qv).
• Early in his career he appeared as a contestant on a game show called "Fun House" where stunts were performed - his involved trying to catch fish in a small pool with only his teeth.