As Leonardo DiCaprio prepares for what many expect to be his first Oscar win for Best Actor in The Revenant, the actor remains an enigma despite two decades in the spotlight. Director Agnieszka Holland, who worked with him on the 1995 film Total Eclipse, recalls a young actor with extraordinary talent and maturity.
Holland cast DiCaprio as the poet Arthur Rimbaud after the role was originally intended for River Phoenix, who died aged 23. She says DiCaprio was always courageous in his role choices, and his father's love of Rimbaud helped seal the decision. Despite the film's intense same-sex love scenes, which were risky for a teen idol, DiCaprio never hesitated. 'He was one of the most mature actors I've ever worked with,' Holland says, adding that his youth was only visible off set.
Holland describes DiCaprio's acting as mysterious: 'He becomes a kind of medium – the soul of the character he's playing is entering his body.' She believes his performance in Total Eclipse remains one of his best, and that without him, she would not have made the film.
Stacey Wilson Hunt of New York magazine says DiCaprio's expected Oscar win is partly due to a sense that he is overdue, having not made a bad film in over a decade. She notes his ability to keep a relatively private life despite high-profile relationships, and his genuine commitment to environmental activism, including millions donated to charities. 'People appreciate the way he keeps a distance from the film business,' she says, recalling a touching moment at a Screen Actors Guild event where he acknowledged his parents' support.
