Splash; R/R
Say it isn’t so! Our hearts sank a little bit when we heard that Leonardo DiCaprio decided to take a break from acting.
“I am a bit drained,” the A-list heartthrob, 38, recently admitted. "I'm now going to take a long, long break. I've done three films in two years and I'm just worn out."
Within that period, Leo racked up roles in the Oscar-nominated Django Unchained and soon-to-be-released flicks, The Great Gatsby and The Wolf of Wall Street. Thankfully, we have those to look forward to!
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Okay, so the guy does deserve a break—but that doesn't mean we won't miss him. We've compiled a list of the top 5 most iconic movie roles he's played over the years. Get ready for a bit of nostalgia:
Calvin J. Candie in Django Unchained (2012): As the villainous and cruel plantation owner, Leo still managed to look hot—though we thought the character was far from lovable. It was powerful, it was crazy and it was awesome. “He is the most deplorable character I’ve ever read in a screenplay in my life,” Leo has said. “It was an incredibly colorful character and I just had to play him.”
Dominick Cobb in Inception (2010): For his role in the Oscar-winning film, Mr. DiCaprio played a thief who specializes in finding out the secrets of others by entering their dreams. Originally thought of first for the role, Brad Pitt and Will Smith were offered the part when Leo initially declined. But we couldn't imagine anyone BUT Leo playing this swoon-worthy part.
Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997): Need we say more? Possibly his most memorable role to date, it's impossible to forget Leo’s performance as the poor, third-class artist. So fresh-faced and handsome, it was this film that truly allowed him to capture the hearts of girls everywhere—and boy, were they jealous of Kate Winslet, who played his love interest. At the time, a 23-year-old Leo said, "I’ve never experienced anything like [Titanic] and I don’t know if I ever will.”
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Romeo in Romeo + Juliet (1996): So sincere. So in love. At the time, Leo WAS the closest thing there was to a modern day Romeo—at least to the millions of girls who fell in love with him after watching him play the part. Let's just say that before Kate Winslet, there was Claire Danes, who played Juliet...and was lucky enough to be the girl to win Leo’s heart in this romantic role.
Arnie Grape in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993): Portraying the mentally challenged brother of Johnny Depp’s character in this iconic ‘90s movie, Leo proved himself as an actor at the tender age of 19. Of his performance, Leo admitted played Arnie on a completely “instinctive” level.
And clearly those aren't the only roles we loved! From 1995's Basketball Diaries all the way to 2006's The Departed, Leo has made one successful and groundbreaking career for himself. We'll miss you (for now), Leo!
What's your favorite Leo movie of all-time? Tell us by leaving a comment!
