Being one of the biggest names in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio is often the subject of many headlines. While sometimes these discuss his professional and personal life, the Titanic star once got into conversations about his fallout with actress Elizabeth Berkley and her ex. The issue that started with the actress declining a dinner invitation resulted in DiCaprio getting sued by her then-boyfriend, Roger Wilson.
The Events Leading Up to the $45 Million Lawsuit Against Leonardo DiCaprio
The issues between Elizabeth Berkley and Leonardo DiCaprio started after the actress got an invitation to join the actor and his posse for dinner while attending the premiere of The Man in the Iron Mask. She recalled the invitation during an interview with New York Magazine, saying that she was told to come “without Roger,” her boyfriend at the time.
After she declined the offer, Berkley was bombarded with voicemails asking her why she had not responded yet. Worried and scared, Berkley confided in Roger Wilson, who later reached out and asked Jay Ferguson not to call the Showgirls star again.
“I said, ‘Look, Jay, I know you guys are having a great time, and the town is your apple – but not this part of town,” he recalled during an interview with New York Magazine. Wilson also recounted receiving a provocative response that said, “If you don’t f*ckin’ like it, why don’t you come down here and tell us to our face?”
He then went to Morgan’s Hotel, where DiCaprio was dining with Jay Ferguson, Karen Tenzler, Julia Ormond, Byrne, and other members of his posse. The Thunder Alley actor confronted everyone, and soon, he got punched in the throat. It caused a sudden panic among the group, and they rushed the unidentified person back into the hotel in an attempt to protect the person who punched Wilson.
Roger Wilson Filed a Lawsuit Against Leonardo DiCaprio
Following the events at Morgan’s Hotel, where Leonardo DiCaprio allegedly said, “Let’s go kick his a*s,” referring to Roger Wilson, he filed a lawsuit worth $45 million against the Hollywood star. The lawsuit alleged that the Oscar winner encouraged his friends to attack him, which has affected his singing career.
He demanded $15 million in compensatory damages and $30 million in punitive damages. However, one of DiCaprio’s friends, Todd Healy, later admitted to punching Wilson, saying that he believed he saw him reaching out for something, possibly a weapon.
In September 2004, the lawsuit was dismissed, with the judge claiming that there was no provocation as Healy did not hear DiCaprio say anything about attacking Roger Wilson. The cases against DiCaprio’s other acquaintances, including Jay Ferguson, were also dropped.
Source: New York Magazine
