ButJames Cameronrecently revealed that DiCaprio’s hot-young-actor-on-the-rise attitude nearly cost him the role that made him a movie star.
Titanic(heard of it?)
was a big gamble in 1995 when Cameron was looking to cast his doomed lovers.
James Cameron and Leonardo Dicaprio on the set of ‘Titanic’.Merie W. Wallace/20th Century Fox
He had consideredGwyneth Paltrowfor Rose DeWitt Bukater until he metKate Winslet, who was “fantastic.”
DiCaprio, meanwhile, was at or near the top of the list for Jack.
“The meeting was funny because I am sitting in my conference room, waiting to meet an actor.
There’s a female executive producer, okay, fine, but our accountant?
They all wanted to meet Leo.
Cameron says DiCaprio told him, “Oh, I don’t read.”
Just like that?'”
So I’m not going to f— it up by making the wrong decision in casting.
So you’re going to read, or you’re not going to get the part."
And Kate just lit up and they went into this whole thing and he played the scene.
Dark clouds had opened up, a ray of sun came down and lit up Jack.
I’m like, ‘All right, he’s the guy.'"
