Director James Cameron is responsible for two of the biggest record-breaking films of all time, the first being the epic historical romantic drama Titanic, which broke the box office and has remained a hugely popular hit all these years later. The movie did so well because of how beautifully it was shot, and how personal the story was, inviting the viewer into the lives of characters who could have been aboard the fateful vessel.
The film starred Kate Winslet, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the part, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, who had been nominated for Best Supporting Actor prior to being cast. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
DiCaprio was very interested in the part, but as Cameron recalled in a recent interview with GQ (via Variety) that the actor was unwilling at first to read for the role in a screen test. Cameron told DiCaprio, “You’re going to read, or you’re not going to get the part.”
“There was a meeting with Leo and then there was a screen test with Leo. The meeting was funny because I am sitting in my conference room, waiting to meet an actor. And I look around, and all the women in the entire office are in the meeting. They all wanted to meet Leo. It was hysterical.”
DiCaprio “charmed everyone” in his first meeting, but the screen test was a bit more contentious. By the time Cameron set up a screen test for DiCaprio, Winslet was already locked in to play the part of Rose.
“He came back a couple of days later, and I had the camera set up to record the video. He didn’t know he was going to test. He thought it was another meeting to meet Kate. So I said, ‘Okay, we’ll just go in the next room, and we’ll run some lines and I’ll video it.’ And he said, ‘You mean, I’m reading?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Oh, I don’t read.’ I shook his hand and said, ‘Thanks for coming by.'”
Cameron was ready to turn away DiCaprio right then and there, but the actor came back to him and said, “Wait, wait, wait. If I don’t read, I don’t get the part? Just like that?” Cameron responded, “Oh, yeah. Come on. This is a giant movie that is going to take two years of my life, and you’ll be gone doing five other things while I’m doing post-production. So, I’m not going to fuck it up by making the wrong decision in casting. So, you’re going to read, or you’re not going to get the part.'”
“So he comes in, and he’s like every ounce of his entire being is just so negative — right up until I said, ‘Action.’ Then he turned into Jack. Kate just lit up, and they played the scene. Dark clouds had opened up, and a ray of sun came down and lit up Jack. I’m like, ‘All right. He’s the guy.'”
I understand that DiCaprio is a talented actor, but of course a director wants to make sure his lead characters have chemistry onscreen before making such a huge movie. I’m glad he was able to humble himself and do what was necessary to get the part, because it’s one of the roles that will go down as his best, and it contributed to the movie magic that we all loved.
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