His name allegedly derives from his German mother Irmalin's having experienced a sudden kick from her unborn boy while enjoying a DaVinci painting at the Uffizi. In the year following his birth, she and his Italian father, George, were divorced. He grew up in Echo Park, then a particularly seedy, drug-dominated area of Los Angeles. At five he appeared on his favorite TV show Romper Room and Friends and was nearly thrown off for misbehaving. After a string of commercials, educational films ("Mickey's Safety Club"), occasional parts in TV series, a debut film role as Josh in Critters 3: You Are What They Eat, a continuing role as the homeless boy Luke in the TV series Growing Pains, he got his break-through part as Toby in This Boy's Life, co-starring with Robert De Niro and Ellen Barkin.

The part led the New York Film Critics and the National Society of Film Critics to name him runner-up for Best Supporting Actor. His first Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations came for the difficult role of Arnie in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Equally challenging parts were a drug-troubled Jim Carroll in The Basketball Diaries, the tormented homosexual poet Rimbaud in Total Eclipse, and the angry teenage son of a harried mother in Marvin's Room. He made a major impact with his starring role in a very updated Romeo + Juliet. Superstardom came to DiCaprio playing Jack Dawson in Titanic, highest grossing film ever, tied with Ben-Hur for most Academy Awards, though Leo himself was not nominated. His performance in the remake of The Man in the Iron Mask was poorly received, but the film still turned a profit. His next major film, The Beach, was not a success, but he made another comeback in Catch Me If You Can and remains an A-list star.


Blood Diamond (2006): $20,000,000
The Departed (2006): $20,000,000
The Aviator (2004): $20,000,000
Catch Me If You Can (2002): $20,000,000
Gangs of New York (2002): $10,000,000 + Gross Points
The Beach (2000/I) (2002): $20,000,000
Titanic (1997): $2,500,000
The Basketball Diaries (1995): $1,000,000

While filming The Beach (2000/I) off the coast of Thailand, Leonardo and others were swept off a camera boat by strong winds and waves. No one was injured. [16 April 1999] Sues Playgirl magazine over plans to publish pictures --including full frontal nudity -- of himself. [March 1998] Chosen by People Magazine as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World." [1997] Screen tested for the part of Robin in Batman Forever (1995). Chosen by People Magazine as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World." [1998] Has a stepbrother, Adam Farrar. A Manhattan appeals court decided to go ahead with a $45 million lawsuit against DiCaprio by actor and screenwriter Roger Wilson for allegedly encouraging his friends in a street fight with Wilson over advances DiCaprio's friends made toward Wilson's girlfriend, Elizabeth Berkley. [2000] Was initially set to star as Alan Jensen in Harvard Man (2001), but the film's low budget could not afford to pay his salary, so he dropped out and Adrian Grenier took the lead. In January 1999, his lawyers filed an application to allow DiCaprio to copyright his own name. Attended Seeds Elementary School at UCLA where he took summer courses in performance art Ranked #6 in Star TV's "Top 10 Box Office Stars of the 1990s" (2003). When his camera went missing, he offered a substantial reward of many thousands of pounds for its return. [November 2003] Openly supported John Kerry in the 2004 election. He went around 11 states and gave 20 speeches about the environment and how the Bush Administration has damaged it. Mentioned in an interview with Katie Couric that while filming The Aviator (2004), it brought back his own obsessive-compulsive disorder that he had as a child. (December 23, 2004). Considered for the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Spider-Man (2002). Won the role of Rimbaud in Total Eclipse (1995) after the death of actor River Phoenix in 1993. He can speak a little German. Was considered for the role of Anakin Skywalker for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). But much to the relief of hardcore Star Wars fans, the role went to Hayden Christensen instead. Was originally cast in The Good Shepherd (2006). Very good friends with actress Kate Winslet and Vincent Gallo. Appeared in the television series "Parenthood" (1990), in the role originally played by Joaquin Phoenix. In the original film, Phoenix's grandfather is played by Jason Robards, who, like DiCaprio, has played Howard Hughes. Good friends with Lukas Haas, Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Connolly. Was cast in the lead role in Baz Luhrmann's doomed Alexander The Great-project. Early in his career he appeared as a contestant on a game show called "Fun House" where stunts were performed - his involved trying to catch fish in a small pool with only his teeth. His favorite food is pasta. His favorite drink is lemonade. Was trained by renowned Hollywood Gun Coach Thell Reed, who has also trained such actors as: Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Edward Norton, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster and Girard Swan. Has said his two favorite performances are Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976) and James Dean's Cal Trask in East of Eden (1955). Named #36 on Empire Magazine's 100 Sexiest Movie Stars. (2007). Has a Dutch song about him called "Ik ben verliefd op Leonardo DiCaprio/I'm in love with Leonardo DiCaprio" by Flemish girl band K3 (Kathleen Aerts, Karen Damen and Kristel Verbeke). In 1994, he became the seventh youngest actor ever to be nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor at the age of 19 years. He was nominated for his performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993). Thanked by Blink 182 in the liner notes of their album "Enema of the State". In May 2009, DiCaprio, along with Kate Winslet and director James Cameron, publicly pledged to support the financial future of the last living Titanic survivor, Millvina Dean, after it was reported that she had been forced to sell her mementos to pay for nursing home bills. Campaigned for the role of John Dillinger in Public Enemies (2009), but Johnny Depp was cast in the part instead. Quentin Tarantino considered casting Leo as SS Colonel Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds (2009), but he eventually chose Christoph Waltz to play the role instead. His favorite actress of all time is Meryl Streep.