Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has appeared in over three dozen films across a career spanning almost four decades, but watching himself on screen is something he rarely does. There is, however, one exception.
“I rarely watch any of my films, but if I’m being honest, there’s one that I have watched more than others. It’s The Aviator,” the 50-year-old actor told director Paul Thomas Anderson, in a conversation for Esquire. “That’s simply because it was such a special moment to me,” he added.
Released in 2004 and directed by Martin Scorsese, The Aviator saw Leonardo step into the shoes of aviation pioneer and film producer Howard Hughes. The supporting cast included Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner, Ian Holm, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Gwen Stefani, Kelli Garner, Matt Ross, Willem Dafoe, Alan Alda, and Edward Herrmann. Based on Charles Higham’s 1993 book Howard Hughes: The Secret Life, the film chronicled Hughes’ life between 1927 and 1947 — from his Hollywood successes to his groundbreaking achievements in aviation, as well as his battle with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
{{/usCountry}}Released in 2004 and directed by Martin Scorsese, The Aviator saw Leonardo step into the shoes of aviation pioneer and film producer Howard Hughes. The supporting cast included Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner, Ian Holm, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Gwen Stefani, Kelli Garner, Matt Ross, Willem Dafoe, Alan Alda, and Edward Herrmann. Based on Charles Higham’s 1993 book Howard Hughes: The Secret Life, the film chronicled Hughes’ life between 1927 and 1947 — from his Hollywood successes to his groundbreaking achievements in aviation, as well as his battle with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
{{/usCountry}}“I had worked with Marty (Scorsese) on Gangs of New York, and I’d been toting around a book on Howard Hughes for ten years,” Leonardo said. “I almost did it with Michael Mann, but there was a conflict and I ended up bringing it to Marty,” he added.
The role, he shared, marked a turning point in how he approached his craft. “I was thirty. It was the first time as an actor I got to feel implicitly part of the production, rather than just an actor hired to play a role. I felt responsible in a whole new way. I’ve always felt proud and connected to that film as such a key part of my growing up in this industry and taking on a role of a real collaborator for the first time,” Leonardo reflected.
The film went on to earn 11 nominations at the 77th Academy Awards, including Best Actor for DiCaprio — solidifying his deep connection to the project two decades later.