Leonardo DiCaprio turns 50: Oscar winner 20 years late

If numerous film critics had had their way on March 21, 1994, actor Leonardo DiCaprio would have been calling himself an Oscar winner for over 30 years now. But although the star, who celebrates his 50th birthday on November 11th, delivered an incredible performance in the coming-of-age drama “Gilbert Grape – Somewhere in Iowa”, it wasn’t enough at the time: Tommy Lee Jones (78) grabbed it The then 19-year-old snatched the Academy Award in the supporting actor category for “The Fugitive.” And so began DiCaprio’s long-lasting status as Hollywood’s golden boy without a golden boy.

Before he celebrated his breakthrough in “Gilbert Grape” alongside Johnny Depp (61), DiCaprio got his career rolling in the horror film “Critters 3 – The Cuddly Killers Are Coming” and the TV series “Our Loud Home”. The role that would earn him his first of six Oscar nominations as an actor to date couldn’t have been more difficult: in the film adaptation, he embodies the mentally impaired younger brother of the title character, Gilbert Grape. This could quickly have degenerated into a shameful farce. But the young DiCaprio demonstrated impressive sensitivity in his performance and at the same time hinted that the dream factory’s next character could be waiting for us.

Although he immediately solidified this impression with the drug drama “Jim Carroll – In the Streets of New York” (1995), the film adaptation of the biography of the writer and musician Jim Carroll (1949-2009) was hardly even considered at the usual award ceremonies.

In 1997, the role finally followed that finally made him a megastar – but also defined him for many years in a way that sometimes made him uncomfortable: We are of course talking about James Cameron’s (70) “Titanic”, which made him weak Object of languor had risen. Some evil tongues would say: was demoted.

In this phase of his work, DiCaprio even received the first and so far only anti-award of his career – but it was immediately given twice: In the remake of “The Man in the Iron Mask”, his double role as twin brothers became the “Worst Film Pairing” with the Golden raspberry covered.

Did this setback motivate him to work even harder? Four years after “The Man in the Iron Mask” he entered into a symbiosis with a star director that is still fruitful today: in “Gangs of New York” he appeared in a Martin Scorsese film for the first time, and five more together have followed so far feature films. The second of these, the film biography “Aviator” about the aviation pioneer Howard Hughes (1905-1976), helped him to his second nomination (the first as a leading actor) for an Academy Award. But in 2005, Jamie Foxx (56) had something against it, who was recognized as Ray Charles (1930-2004) in “Ray” in his place.

Basically, DiCaprio deserved two chances at an Oscar in 2007. In addition to the drama “Blood Diamond”, for which he was nominated, he surprisingly received nothing for his leading role in Scorsese’s “The Departed”. In the end, Forest Whitaker (63) triumphed for “The Last King of Scotland” and DiCaprio was gradually spoken of as having an Oscar curse.

There was no shortage of strong screen appearances – this was followed by, among others, “Shutter Island” (Scorsese), “Inception” (Christopher Nolan, 54) and “Django Unchained” (Quentin Tarantino, 61). However, it would still be seven years before his next nomination. Again, this was thanks to Scorsese and his film “The Wolf of Wall Street”. And because DiCaprio also co-produced the film, he was nominated for “Best Film” in addition to the “Best Actor” category in 2014. But “12 Years a Slave” was chosen as the film – and Matthew McConaughey (55, “Dallas Buyers Club”) as the main actor.

Even the Academy seemed increasingly uncomfortable with these snubs. However, the prophecies of doom that only a concession decision ensured DiCaprio’s first triumph at the Oscars in 2016 were not justified. For Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s (61) “The Revenant” the actor went to his physical limits and beyond. Yes, the role was so-called “Oscar bait” in its purest form. As a rule, you won’t find anything objectionable about that in the dream factory.

At the age of 42, the spell was finally broken and Leonardo DiCaprio entered the illustrious circle of Oscar winners. But a lot has happened in this regard in the past eight years: First of all, in 2020 he had the chance to get another golden boy for Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood”. But Joaquin Phoenix (50) snatched it away from him as “Joker”. And it wasn’t until this year’s awards ceremony that many of his fans rubbed their eyes in amazement because he hadn’t even made it onto the nomination list for his part in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Since his celebration eight years ago, he has suffered two Oscar disappointments. But perhaps he can hope for the next attempt soon: One of the films in his pipeline is the biographical drama “Roosevelt”, in which DiCaprio will portray the 26th President of the USA. In the director’s chair, how could it be otherwise, is once again Martin Scorsese.