My Favorite Leonardo DiCaprio Performances

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of my very favorite actors of all time. I am super exited that he is staring in, not one but, two movies in the months ahead. In October he will star alongside Russell Crowe in the upcoming Body of Lies (already mentioned in the Fall Movie Preview blog). Then in December he is reteaming with his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet in the period piece Revolutionary Road. I don’t know much about the movie, but I expect it to be great. I expect one of these movies will nab Leo his 4th Oscar Nomination.

Below are my favorite performances given my Mr. Leo DiCap. If you haven’t already seen them, check them out. If you have seen them, check them out again.

1. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape—a truly remarkable performance. Leo plays Arnie Grape, younger brother to Johnny Depp’s title character, who has a mental handicap. The performance is flawless. Arnie is young, vulnerable and, at times, hard to handle. Leo brought depth to the character and his chemistry with Depp was amazing. This was his first Oscar Nomination and well deserved, a win would have been more fitting, but at least the Academy acknowledged what a truly exceptional performance this was.

2. The Aviator—In this film, his second with director Martin Scorsese (Best Director Nominee for this film), Leo plays billionaire-playboy Howard Hughes. He is surrounded by an incredible supporting cast including: Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda (in an Oscar Nominated performance), Kate Beckinsale and Cate Blanchett (in an Oscar Winning performance). Leo portrayed with madness and genius that was Howard Hughes with effortless abandon and believability. There were times during the movie that I simply forgot I was watching a “Leo movie”—few actors have that affect on me. Leo would earn his second Oscar Nomination for this film.

3. Catch Me If You Can—in this film directed by Steven Speilberg and co-starring Tom Hanks, Leo plays Frank Abagnale Jr.; a con-man who convinced those around him that he was every profession from a pilot to a medical doctor. Beneath the bravado and confidence Leo is able to portray a deeply complex individual shrouded in doubt and searching for the approval of his father.

4. Basketball Diaries—this is where the love affair began. While, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape was my first Leo movie experience, Basketball Diaries introduced me to a whole new Leo. He is wild, uninhibited and sexy in this movie; he is completely captivating. He plays Jim Carroll a successful high school basketball player who finds himself caught up in a world of drugs and violence. The movie is dark, his performance is dark, but you can’t take your eyes off of him.

5. The Departed—his third and latest movie with director Martin Scorsese (who finally won a Best Director Oscar for this film, it also won Best Picture of the year) Leo plays undercover agent Billy Costigan. This maybe his sexiest performance to date because of his raw and sometimes violent masculinity underscored by an intense venerability. He acted more with his eyes in this movie than he did anything else. You could see the anguish on his face, and you believed it, it was real. He acted against heavyweights like Matt Damon and the great Jack Nicholson and he proved he could hold his own.

6. Titanic—a list about Leonardo DiCaprio wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the epic that is Titanic. I am proud to say that my love affair with Leonardo DiCaprio started long before Titanic. However, the release of this movie only solidified what I already knew…Leonardo DiCaprio is an amazing talent blessed with a great face. His performance as Jack Dawson was warm, heartfelt and touching and made you desperately wish for an alternate ending.

Leo is one of the smartest actors in Hollywood. It’s clear that he chooses his movies carefully. He works with brilliant directors and surrounds himself with a support cast that enhances the film wholly. I look forward to many more great Leonardo DiCaprio movies. I am sure the Academy Awards will get it right one day and rightfully award him with an Oscar.