In the mid-1990s, Leonardo DiCaprio cemented his place both in the hearts and on the walls of a generation of teenage girls. His portrayal of one half of the Bard’s star-crossed lovers in Romeo and Juliet, and as Jack Dawson in Titanic, alongside Kate Winslet, saw him become one of our generation’s heartthrobs. His boyish face and curtain fringe, a look I had attempted to share at the time, were the makings of a star.
So what of DiCaprio now? How has the boy actor transformed into one of Hollywood’s leading males? DiCaprio is an actor guaranteed, not only to boost box office figures, but to simultaneously garner critical acclaim. A three-time Academy Award nominated and Golden Globe winning actor, this is thus far the peak of a dizzying career. DiCaprio continued his engagement with difficult material by starring in Sam Mendes’ adaptation of Richard Yates’ 1961 novel, Revolutionary Road. It was also a return to his partnership with Kate Winslet that drew so many tears in Titanic.
It has been said countless times before, but DiCaprio is not what you expect to meet. Standing at a good six feet and well built, this isn’t the baby-faced Jack Dawson of Titanic. DiCaprio really looks the part of a Hollywood actor. No longer pretty, he is now decidedly handsome, the childishness of his face hidden now behind a beard, admittedly one of the cultivated type a la Craig David.
DiCaprio is immensely amiable, especially for a man deep into the trail of hundreds of interviewers asking the same questions. What is more, he comes across as a highly intelligent artist. His understanding of his part and the themes of the film are exemplary of a young actor, and his drive to make a very good film is deeply apparent.
Although DiCaprio admits that he never read the original novel prior to the film, as few have, Yates’ novel remains very much an undiscovered masterpiece, he said that on reading both the script and the original he realised why ‘so many people take the novel into their lives.’
The film follows, in DiCaprio’s words, the failure of a couple’s ‘individualism in a very contained world.’ In this respect, it followed a particular interest of DiCaprio’s to present the stories of individuals, and their own personal struggles, a theme he sees as overlooked in the blockbuster world of Hollywood. The film has an almost theatrical feel to it, something that DiCaprio acknowledged and relished. He talks enthusiastically of the fact that the film was shot chronologically, something that is rarely afforded by the time and financial constraints of Hollywood.
The headline puller of DiCaprio’s new venture is, of course, the return of ‘Leo and Kate’, the global phenomenon of remarkably over twelve years ago. For DiCaprio, besides the obvious trepidation of returning to old ground, the prospect of working with Winslet again seemed one of real satisfaction. DiCaprio is highly complimentary of his co-star and friend, a Golden Globe winner for this film just a week or two ago. His admiration of her commitment to her work is very evident, he notes that through her Titanic days to now she has ‘an intense work ethic, she always wants to make a great work, she has a real desire to make great films, it’s just part of her DNA.’
Although the film may see criticism for its ponderous pace, one that sees it feel even mildly turgid at times, the pairing of Leo and Kate pulls it above these considerations. This pairing is one that both actors have sought to return to ever since Titanic.
‘There were a few projects through the years, we would ring each other up with them,’ DiCaprio tells us. However, the shadow of Titanic, despite being a film that he is very proud of, loomed over the partnership. In this respect Revolutionary Road presented the perfect pairing. Leo and Kate’s dysfunctional relationship is a far sight from the brief romance and tragedy of Titanic, whilst still offering an opportunity for these two friends and highly talented actors to revisit an undeniable on-screen chemistry.
For DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road is another in a series of very serious roles. From his recent collaborations with Martin Scorcese in Gangs of New York, The Aviator and The Departed to Edward Zwick’s Blood Diamond and Ridley Scott’s Body Of Lies, Leonardo DiCaprio is an actor continually extending himself. I questioned this resolve to make difficult films and asked him when he last played a role that he found light and easy. Laughingly he said that it has been ‘hard work recently’ but on meeting such a committed actor one feels that this is what drives him. His pick for a genuinely easy-going experience comes from a little remembered Woody Allen collaboration, Celebrity in 1998. DiCaprio has for all of us Allen-ites a quintessentially Woody Allen memory. Remembering his directorial style, whilst affecting a very convincing Woody Allen inflection, he recollects the extent of Allen’s direction as being, “You can stand over there … but you don’t have to.”
It is not often that DiCaprio gives himself a break; he has to look back over ten years ago to a film that he found easy. His performances betray one of the greatest and most compelling actors of our generation. The Academy Award he has deserved since What’s Eating Gilbert Grape in 1993 may evade him still but it can’t be far off now. With his commitment and pedigree we may well be looking at the next De Niro, Pacino or even Brando here. Let us just hope that he remains the same charming man who put a smile on my face as I stepped out of the Dorchester’s revolving doors, before returning to the biting cold of a January day and the real world.
