Leonardo DiCaprio has been a part of numerous iconic films throughout his career, yet there is one particular film he wishes he had not turned down.
Despite the fact that nearly every project DiCaprio has been involved in has been a major success, the seasoned actor still has some career choices he questions. Known for his roles in Titanic, Romeo and Juliet, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Revenant, Inception, Shutter Island, Catch Me If You Can, and The Wolf of Wall Street, the 50-year-old actor has been part of many memorable movies.
If you were to go through his filmography, it’s likely you would recognize nearly every title.
However, even the most accomplished actors, like DiCaprio or Will Smith, sometimes wonder about the opportunities they passed up.
In a conversation with Esquire, DiCaprio disclosed the role he regrets not taking: Eddie Adams in 1997’s Boogie Nights, a part that eventually went to Mark Wahlberg.
Boogie Nights is centered around Eddie, a nightclub dishwasher in the 70s who is discovered by filmmaker Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) and enters the adult film industry under the alias Dirk Diggler.
Although DiCaprio was the initial choice for the role, he had already committed to playing Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s Titanic, which turned out to be a wise decision.
DiCaprio did discuss this with Boogie Nights’ director, Paul Thomas Anderson, telling him, “I’ll say it even though you’re here: My biggest regret is not doing Boogie Nights.”
Despite his regret, DiCaprio ultimately felt that Wahlberg was perfect for the role, noting, “It was a profound movie of my generation. I can’t imagine anyone but Mark 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, but it’s true,” he added.
While DiCaprio missed the chance to work on Boogie Nights, he and Anderson have collaborated on a new project titled One Battle After Another. In this film, DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a man being pursued by Sean Penn’s character, investigator Steven Lockjaw.
DiCaprio mentioned that the script had been on the director’s desk ‘for a long time’ and expressed his excitement about the collaboration: “But ultimately, wanting to do this movie was pretty simple: I’ve been wanting to work with you – Paul – for something like 20 years now.”
He continued, “And I loved this idea of the washed-up revolutionary trying to erase his past and disappear and try and live some sort of normal life raising his daughter.”
One Battle After Another is set to hit theaters on September 26.