With money, stardom, women, and an accomplished career, Leonardo DiCaprio truly has it all. One of the most recognizable faces on the planet, DiCaprio has a professional and personal life many admire and envy. The cherry on the top was the Academy Award which he finally won in 2015 for ‘The Revenant.’
We assume Leonardo DiCaprio has not had many things to worry about, being on the high rise of life. Still, the Oscar-winning actor regrets a moment in his professional career. Rejecting roles someone else makes the best of is part and parcel of the movie business. But Leonardo DiCaprio regrets saying no to ‘Boogie Night.’
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Leonardo DiCaprio Rejects ‘Boogie Nights’ For ‘Titanic’
After wrapping up Baz Luhrman’s ‘Romeo + Juliet,’ the cast went out for drinks. Leonardo DiCaprio told Paul Rudd about being offered James Cameron’s ‘Titanic.‘ DiCaprio had only been in a few independent films at that point in his career. Rudd, whose father was an expert on the film’s subject, asked him to go ahead and do it.
Playing Jack in ‘Titanic’ made him the king of the world and established him as a star in the making. The movie was a ginormous commercial success and remained a culturally significant movie to date. However, Leonardo DiCaprio regrets turning down the leading part in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Boogie Nights.’
Years later, DiCaprio told ShowbizSpy, “My biggest regret is Boogie Nights. I’m a huge fan of Paul Thomas Anderson, but the first time I met him for that role I hadn’t really seen much of his previous work. Now I love that movie.” When someone turns you down, the other person steps up. And as we know, Mark Wahlberg ended up playing Dirk Dirgler in ‘Boogie Nights.’
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Mark Wahlberg Took Over For Leonardo DiCaprio In ‘Boogie Nights‘
The making of ‘Boogie Nights’ was no easy thing. Leonardo DiCaprio and Joaquin Phoenix turned down the part of Dirk Diggler. DiCaprio suggested his ‘Basketball Diaries‘ co-star Mark Wahlberg for the part. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 1997, and was theatrically released on October 10, 1997, to critical acclaim.
Mark Wahlberg’s performance as adult film star Dirk Diggler made him a bonafide superstar and launched him into the Hollywood elite. The film was a career boost for Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds, with both actors scoring Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actress nominations. The success of ‘Boogie Nights’ enabled Paul Thomas to make his next film, ‘Magnolia,’ and cemented his position as one of the best filmmakers working today.
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