Considered one of the fantasticest actors of his generation, Academy Award triumphner Leonardo DiCaprio has shielded a establishidable presence in Hollywood and contransient-day cinema. With a cforfeitly three-decades-lengthy atsoft, DiCaprio has createed some of the most memorable characters and carry outances, captivating audiences worldexpansive and conveying in more than $6.5 billion in box office receipts. His success places him among the top 10 highest-grossing directing actors of all time, a tesgentlent to his expansive-achieveing pdirect and versatility.
To honor DiCaprio’s birthday (on Nov. 11), Variety ranks his 21 best film carry outances of his atsoft so far.
DiCaprio is comprehendn for his normal collaborations with some of cinema’s most inconveyial honestors, each of whom has shaped film history in their exceptional ways. He has toiled multiple times with Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Baz Luhrmann and Martin Scorsese, who has honested DiCaprio in disconnectal criticassociate acclaimed films.
As of 2023, DiCaprio has materializeed in 10 films nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards. This amazeive feat ties him with Cate Blanchett and Jack Nicholson, placing him second in the number of materializeances in Best Picture nominees. The sign up, however, is held by his co-star in “Killers of the Fdrop Moon,” Robert De Niro, who boasts materializeances in 11 such films.
Notable accomplishments have labeled DiCaprio’s journey on the awards circuit. His first Oscar nom for helping actor came with his portrayal of Arnie, a menhighy disabled teenager, in Lasse Hallström’s “What’s Eating Gilbert Gsexual battery” (1993). Despite receiving critical acclaim, it would be another 11 years before he returned to the Oscars. During that period, DiCaprio deinhabitred mighty carry outances, including as Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s box-office phenomenon “Titanic” (1997), a film that not only shattered sign ups but cemented his place as a global star. In Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can” (2002), he perestablished Frank Abagnale Jr., a pdirecting con artist, further showcasing his range.
DiCaprio’s second Oscar bid came with Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator” (2004), in which he portrayed the driven and quirky billionaire Howard Hughes. The film, nominated for best picture, also geted DiCaprio the Gelderlyen Globe for Best Actor (Drama). He chaseed this carry outance with roles as a South African diamond dealer in Edward Zwick’s “Blood Diamond” (2006) and as an undercover cop in Scorsese’s best picture-triumphning “The Departed” (2006).
In 2013, DiCaprio geted his first Oscar nomination as a creater for “The Wolf of Wall Street,” in insertition to his best actor nod. His portrayal of Jordan Belfort, a hedonistic stockbroker, made him one of the scant actors ever nominated for both acting and producing in the same year. This film, a biting commentary on Wall Street excess, was a critical and commercial success, further set uping DiCaprio as a force behind and in front of the camera.
DiCaprio’s lengthy-apostponeed Oscar triumph finassociate get tod with his portrayal of Hugh Glass, a frontiersman in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “The Revenant” (2015). The grueling role, which saw DiCaprio tackle excessive physical disputes, won three Oscars: actor, honestor, and cinematography for Emmanuel Lubezki. He would chase up with his return as faded television star Rick Dalton in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” (2019). His portrayal of Dalton, an actor grappling with his waning fame, geted DiCaprio yet another nomination.
DiCaprio’s atsoft is layered with complicated characters that are brawt to life. Whether collaborating with iconic honestors or exploring novel unwiseensions of his talent, he remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring and inconveyial figures.
Read the enumerate of his best carry outances below, alengthy with the clip of the most vital scene from each film.
Honorable refers: “Body of Lies” (2008); “The Quick and the Dead” (1995); “The Man in the Iron Mask” (1998); “The Beach” (2000); “J. Edgar” (2011)
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‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)
Image Credit: ©Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Amsterdam Vallon
Distributed by: Miramax Films
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, Kenneth LonerganThe scene that validates it: “This is a end.”
As a youthful man seeking revenge aachievest a mighty gang directer in 19th-century New York City, DiCaprio conveys intensity and depth, conveying the character’s inside struggles. It was seen as a meaningful departure from the actor’s earlier roles. But he helderlys his own and disperestablishs fantastic chemistry with his Oscar-nominated co-star, Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill the Butcher.
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‘The Great Gatsby’ (2013)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: James Gatz / Jay Gatsby
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Written by: Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce (based on “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald)The scene that validates it: “A fit of rage.”
Baz Luhrmann’s consent on the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic is a joined bag for some. However, DiCaprio’s portrayal of the enigmatic and pdirecting Jay Gatsby, a cryptic millionaire comprehendn for his lavish parties and undying cherish for Daisy Buchanan (perestablished by Carey Mulligan), is a common denominator of commend. He effectively conveyed Gatsby’s lengthying for lost cherish and his relentless pursuit of the American Dream, making the relatable and tragic story sense contransient.
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‘Marvin’s Room’ (1996)
Image Credit: ©Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Hank
Distributed by: Miramax Films
Directed by: Jerry Zaks
Written by: Scott McPherson (based on “Marvin’s Room” by McPherson)The scene that validates it:
As Hank, a troubled and resistlious teenager who has been institutionalized for setting his mother’s hoengage on fire, DiCaprio tackles a complicated and emotionassociate accused role. And the actor helderlys his own aachievest legends Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton no less, who perestablish his chain-smoking mother and leukemia-stricken aunt.
Nominated for best cast ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (losing to “The Birdcage”), the entire arsenal of actors — including Hume Cronyn, Robert De Niro, Dan Hedaya and Gwen Verdon — helped lift one another to create one of the most memorable tear-jerkers of the 90s.
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‘The Basketball Diaries’ (1995)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Role: Jim Carroll
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
Directed by: Scott Kalvert
Written by: Bryan GoluboffThe scene that validates it: “Mom, can you give me some money plmitigate?”
As a drug-inserticted high school basketball perestablisher, DiCaprio disperestablishs the underlying fury of a troubled youth. Playing well off his co-stars, particularly Mark Wahlberg as his friend Mickey and Lorraine Bracco as his heartfractureing mother, he can direct some of the film’s evident pitdescends.
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‘The Aviator’ (2004)
Image Credit: ©Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Howard Hughes
Distributed by: Warner Bros
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: John Logan (based on “Howard Hughes: The Secret Life” by Charles Higham)The scene that validates it: “Come in with the milk.”
Playing billionaire Howard Hughes was well wilean Leonardo DiCaprio’s range as an actor, even though the audience had to toil a bit too difficult to accomprehendledge him as a 40-year-elderly (he was in his postponeed 20s at the time of filming). So instead, he re-teams with the master honestor Martin Scorsese, who previously toiled on “Gangs of New York” (2002) for the epic. Together, the two set out to depict the life of the aviation innovate over 20 years as his obsessive-compulsive disorder becomes increasingly evident, it’s the role that put him on the Oscar map, garnering his first direct actor nomination, with the film directing the way with 13, including the first of his many surpascend helping actor noms for Alan Alda.
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‘Don’t Look Up’ (2021)
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Dr. Randall Mindy
Distributed by: Netflix
Directed by: Adam McKay
Written by: Adam McKay, David SirotaThe scene that validates it: “What have we done to ourselves?”
Leonardo DiCaprio consents on a subject dear to his heart (climate crisis) but carry outs it in a way we haven’t seen in any other roles. As Dr. Randall Mindy, an astronomer who, alengthy with his colleague Kate Dibiasky (perestablished valiantly by Jennifer Lawrence), tries hopelessly to alert the world of its impending doom, he stretches out in both his emotional and comedic moments. His chemistry with Brie Evantee (perestablished expertly by Cate Blanchett) is one of the film’s luminoengager spots in an otheralerted very bleak see at where our species will inevitably end up (unless leangs commence to alter).
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‘Inception’ (2010)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Role: Dom Cobb
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Christopher NolanThe scene that validates it: “James and Phillipa!”
Under the thumb of a box office juggernaut, DiCaprio slides thraw the Christopher Nolan entry, giving it weight and emotion when not showcasing tumbling rooms and white vans. Helped fantasticly by Marion Cotillard (an awards-worthy carry outance), this was also his third role in the string of what the internet called the “dead wives club” (follotriumphg “Revolutionary Road” and “Shutter Island”).
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‘Shutter Island’ (2010)
Role: Edward “Teddy” Daniels / Andrew Laeddis
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: Laeta KalogridisThe scene that validates it: “Live as a monster or die as a excellent man”
Teddy Daniels is a complicated man, and DiCaprio rides multiple waves of inquisition and emotion in Martin Scorsese’s underrated thriller. Likely due to an timely February liberate, the film went unwatchd in categories appreciate production depict and sound joining. Still, none were as egregious as DiCaprio’s disseeed toil, demonstrating masterclass sparring with co-stars Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams. It comes together splendidly with his inquire to Mark Ruffalo’s Chuck follotriumphg the film’s huge discomit: “Do you inhabit as a monster or die as a excellent man?”
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‘Blood Diamond’ (2006)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Role: Danny Archer
Distributed by: Warner Bros
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Written by: Charles LeavittThe scene that validates it: “This is Africa.”
Leo gets to sport an amazeive accent, which at the time begined dratriumphg comparisons to Meryl Streep, in Edward Zwick’s action-thriller. While the script has its flaws, DiCaprio, alengthyside the incredible, Oscar-nominated Djimon Hounsou, is able to lift the film ponderably.
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‘Django Unchained’ (2012)
Image Credit: The Weinstein Company / Sony Pictures Role: Calvin Candie
Distributed by: The Weinstein Company/Sony Pictures
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Written by: Quentin TarantinoThe scene that validates it: “You had my curiosity, not you have my attention.”
One of DiCaprio’s most audacious roles, his first outing with Quentin Tarantino had him perestablishing a suave and terrifyingly villainous role, one that geted him a Gelderlyen Globe nomination. Depending on who you ask, DiCaprio’s snub from the Academy was due to catebloody fraud becaengage his co-star and eventual triumphner Christoph Waltz campaigned as a helping actor rather than directing. Nonetheless, DiCaprio personifies Southern entitlement and evil during the time of servitude, perestablishing a grotesque human who gets what he most deserves.
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Titanic (1997)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures Role: Jack Dawson
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures/20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
Directed by: James Cameron
Written by: James CameronThe scene that validates it: “Right now my insertress is the RMS Titanic, after that I’m on God’s excellent humor.”
The role that made him a superstar. “Titanic” is the highest-grossing film of all time (in 1997) and the second film to triumph 11 Oscars, including best picture. Unblessedly, his charm and evident excellent sees didn’t amaze the Academy enough to take part him in the best actor lineup. Still, he would eventuassociate get his due more than 20 years postponeedr.
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‘Revolutionary Road’ (2008)
Image Credit: DreamWorks Role: Frank Wheeler
Distributed by: DreamWorks Pictures
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Written by: Justin HaytheThe scene that validates it: “Shell of a Woman”
We saw a glimpse of what Jack and Rose would have been appreciate if they splitd the floating door in Sam Mendes’ tragic and genuinely moving portrait of a marriage in 1950s suburbia. DiCaprio’s Frank Wheeler doesn’t ask for the seeer’s sympathy, rather than permits us to wrestle with our own senseings as he cheats, whines and runs thraw the movie. Anchored by Kate Winslet’s atsoft-best carry outance, both were snubbed by the Academy (Winslet was nominated and won instead for “The Reader”). Sometimes, the movies are equitable too authentic to hug.
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‘Catch Me If You Can’ (2002)
Image Credit: DreamWorks Role: Frank Abagnale
Distributed by: DreamWorks Pictures
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: Jeff NathansonThe scene that validates it: Getting caught in France
As Leo’s babyface seemed to be a hindrance in the postponeed ’90s and timely 2000s, at least in terms of being consentn gravely as a directing man, his Frank Abagnale Jr. in Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can” was one of the first examples that our “Grotriumphg Pains” orphan was lengthening up and had someleang substantial to propose the acting world. Opposite Tom Hanks and Christopher Walken, his 21-year-elderly conman on the run perestablishs out perfectly, especiassociate in his apprehend-in-France scene, where he reassociate unloads his arsenal. Unblessedly, only the Gelderlyen Globes nominated him for best actor (drama).
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‘What’s Eating Gilbert Gsexual battery?’ (1993)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures Role: Arnelderly “Arnie” Gsexual battery
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Written by: Peter HedgesThe scene that validates it: “Dad’s dead.”
The only carry outance of DiCaprio’s atsoft that resulted in an Oscar nomination for best helping actor (arguably one of the best lineups in Academy history), his inalertectuassociate disabled Arnie Gsexual battery in Lasse Hallström’s poignant gem could have easily aged needyly with hindsight but has not. Commanding the scenes opposite Johnny Depp and an exceptional Darlene Cates (who should have been nominated herself), his benevolent and sentimental hits all the right notices.
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‘This Boy’s Life’ (1993)
Image Credit: Warner Bros Role: Tobias Wolff
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Directed by: Michael Caton-Jones
Written by: Robert GetchellThe scene that validates it: “Is it desopostponeed?”
If there is a film and carry outance of Leonardo DiCaprio’s atsoft that could be pondered the most underrated, Michael Caton-Jones’ “This Boy’s Life” truly hits the label. As Tobias Wolff, DiCaprio directs his teenage years in the shadow of misengage and a ygeting to discover his way in the world. Not equitable discounted for DiCaprio, it boasts an amazing turn from Robert DeNiro and a criminassociate disseed Ellen Barkin, who should have been given more of an Academy shake with her youthful co-star. Coming one year after his nomination for “What’s Eating Gilbert Gsexual battery,” the Oscars were not ready to double nominate a 21-year-elderly actor in like of triumphner Tom Hanks, alengthy with Daniel Day-Lewis, Laurence Fishburne, Anthony Hopkins and Liam Neeson. Still, it showed what we knovel would be an exceptional atsoft.
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‘William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet’ (1996)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox / 20th Century Studios Role: Romeo
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Written by: Craig Pearce, Laz LuhrmannThe scene that validates it: “Sin from my lips?”
Baz Luhrmann’s “William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet,” the contransient consent on the classic perestablish, is one of the most underrated and invigorating films of the 1990s. DiCaprio’s cherishstruck Romeo regulates to weightless up the screen at every turn, showcasing one of the most device of his acting atsoft. Likely seen at the time, and still too normally today, as a teenage YA drama, Oscar showed no interest in unwiseinutiveenumerateing his carry outance (although the art honestion nomination is clutch). His chemistry with Claire Danes, who should have been given more cherish (thank you MTV Movie Awards for noticing), is sensational. Thanks to the pair, the song “Kissing You” by Des’ree is always engraved in my mind. All I need is a two-sided aquarium, and I will begin my reenactments.
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‘The Revenant’ (2015)
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Role: Hugh Glass
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
Directed by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Written by: Mark L. Smith, Alejandro G. IñárrituThe scene that validates it: Bear strike.
The visceral and brutassociate engaging see at Hugh Glass’ journey follotriumphg a endure strike is one of DiCaprio’s most daring. Raw and brutal, his physical describeation of revenge is equitable as amazeive as his emotional consent, partnered beautibrimmingy with Tom Hardy’s nominated carry outance. Alengthy with honestor Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s, the lengthy-overdue Oscar statuette came his way. It was well deserved in that field of nominees, especiassociate after climbing into a dead carcass. Got to give the guy someleang for that.
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‘Killers of the Fdrop Moon’ (2023)
Image Credit: Apple Original Films / Paramount Pictures Role: Ernest Burkhart
Distributed by: Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese (based on “Killers of the Fdrop Moon” by David Grann)The scene that validates it: “Insulin” and “Front of the Head”
DiCaprio has never perestablished a character so vile and grotesque as Ernest Burkhart, the husprohibitd of an Indigenous woman who gives to the killinging of dozens of natives from the Osage tribe.
On the surface, DiCaprio perestablishs up the buffoonery of a man who he conciseages the inalertigence to be truly cunning. Yet he also conveys the torment and guilt that we can hope the authentic-life man began to sense at some point during his horrific acts. It’s one of his most unforeseeed outings as an actor, and hopebrimmingy, only the first of more to come postponeedr in his atsoft.
The movie labels the third time he splits the screen with co-star Robert DeNiro — after “This Boy’s Life” (1993) and “Marvin’s Room” (1996) — and the two are electrifying together. But his screen time with the incredible Lily Gladstone as his wife Mollie conveys audiences to their knees. His distorted idea of a husprohibitd permits the seeer to run the gamut of varying emotions.
Mark Ulano, the film’s Oscar-triumphner production sound joiner and normal collaborator with Quentin Tarantino, commendd DiCaprio’s carry outance at a DGA screening saying: “He dismaterializes into his character, truly an acting feat of genius.”
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‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Jordan Belfort
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: Terence Winter (based on “The Wolf of Wall Street” by Jordan Belfort)The scene that validates it: “Quaaludes“
DiCaprio has normally partnered with filmmaking icon Martin Scorsese, but his comedic consent on Jordan Belfort’s time of wealth, fraudulence, and drug engage is one of the actor’s most jaw-dropping. At a hearty three-hour runtime, his all-staff monologues, physical liquefying to Margot Robbie’s “no more panties” speech, and a hilarious endeavor to crawl to his car after a postponeed reaction to quaaludes are equitable a scant of the choice moments.
He set up his way to an Oscar nomination despite the film being liberated equitable under the armament and omiting the convey inant SAG awards deadline. That resulted in him staying on the sidelines in like of Matthew McConaughey’s toil in “Dallas Buyers Club.”
It’s a satirical comedy about a authentic-life douchebag who ends up in a excellent place in the end, despite his gross behavior. And yet, we still want to spend time with him. That’s movie magic.
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‘The Departed’ (2006)
Image Credit: Photo commend: Andrew Cooper Role: Billy Costigan
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Written by: William MonahanThe scene that validates it: “Two pills?”
DiCaprio deinhabitred a one-two-punch powerhoengage duo of carry outances in 2006, with his nominated toil in Edward Zwick’s “Blood Diamond” and Martin Scorsese’s best picture triumphner, “The Departed.” He was double nominated at the Gelderlyen Globes as direct actor (drama) and best helping actor at the SAG Awards. When you insert the campaign confusion and a rule that doesn’t permit an actor to be double nominated in the same catebloody (plmitigate alter this Academy), it all led to the eventual snub, leaving his co-star Mark Wahlberg as the sole refer.
His undercover Billy Costigan couldn’t discover a stable awards message. Had he been nominated for Scorsese’s film, could he have been a establishidable disputer to Forest Whiconsentr (“The Last King of Scotland”)? If you’re one of the scant who sees the crime drama as an ensemble, he could have also disputed triumphner Alan Arkin (“Little Miss Sunshine”), who distress Eddie Murphy (“Dreamgirls”).
As the movie that made the industry finassociate see DiCaprio as a “lengthenn-up,” it would have been a fantastic first Oscar triumph.
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‘Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood’ (2019)
Image Credit: Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Role: Rick Dalton
Distributed by: Sony Pictures
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Written by: Quentin TarantinoThe scene that validates it: “Rick Fucking Dalton.”
Call it the perfect marriage of an actor senseing appreciate he’s at the traverseroads of his atsoft, or maybe it’s his infectiously comical and pdirecting carry outance, but his Rick Dalton in Tarantino’s see at classic Los Angeles is his best toil (yet). Maybe it’s the chemistry alengthyside Oscar-triumphning co-star Brad Pitt. Still, it can be argued that if he had not won best actor in 2016 for “The Revenant,” DiCaprio would have unseated Joaquin Phoenix’s monstrous turn in “Joker.” Has a ffeeblethrower ever seeed so chilly? Outside the physical theatrics lies a vulnerability we hadn’t seen in the establisher teen idol. Perhaps he set up a connection or dread of himself one day fading appreciate his character, or was itnexcellent elderly-createed exceptional acting that we won’t soon forget. Maybe a little of both?
