Undoubtedly, the name Leonardo DiCaprio had once become synonymous with the movie Titanic. Known for his iconic role as Jack Dawson in the 1997 film, DiCaprio. Having featured alongside Kate Winslet in the American disaster film directed by James Cameron, DiCaprio won several awards and accolades for his work in the movie. However, interestingly, the actor was initially hesitant to take on the role.
Reportedly, DiCaprio was concerned that playing Jack would pigeonhole him as a heartthrob. He had already starred in several successful romantic films, such as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Romeo + Juliet, and wanted to take on more challenging roles, and wasn’t sure if Jack was the right fit for him.
How Kate Winslet threatened Leonardo DiCaprio to take on the role
Initially, Leonardo DiCaprio was convinced by Rae Sanchini, a producer, to take on the role. She told him that Jack was a complex character and that playing him would be a challenge. She also said that Jack was a “pure of heart” individual and that DiCaprio would be able to bring a lot of depth to the role.
“When you think about it, Jack is the purest of heart. We meet him, and he’s not conflicted,” explained Sanchini. “He knows exactly who he is. Jack knows his place in the world. He’s fearless…he falls in love, but he doesn’t change as a person…He makes his choice to die for the woman he loves, and he’s at peace with that.”
However, still hesitant, DiCaprio was further persuaded by his co-star, Kate Winslet. Winslet was adamant that DiCaprio plays Jack, and she even hounded him into accepting the role. She knew that DiCaprio was the perfect actor to play Jack, and she didn’t want to make the film without him.
“I was thinking, ‘I’m going to persuade him to do this because I’m not doing it without him, and that’s all there is to it. I will have him.’ Because he is f***ing brilliant. He’s a f***ing genius, and that was absolutely why.”
In the end, DiCaprio agreed to play Jack Dawson, and the rest is history. Titanic became one of the highest-grossing films of all time, and his performance as Jack is still considered one of his best.
Leonardo DiCaprio was not the only choice for the role of Jack Dawson
Reportedly, several other A-list actors were considered for the role, including Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, River Phoenix, and Johnny Depp. While Depp was not interested in starring in Titanic because he found the script to be “laboring,” Bale lost the role to DiCaprio during the audition process.
In a conversation with the Hollywood Reporter, when the Batman star was asked if he had auditioned for the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic, Bale said,
“I wasn’t going to go into that, but yes…I am really bad at auditions. I’m terrible. I’ve never been good at them…I can’t do ‘em. They’re nothing like working. They’re not related in the slightest.”
Interestingly, Bale’s publicist, Harrison Cheung revealed that it was Bale’s British accent that cost him the role of Jack Dawson. Sharing how The Prestige actor lost many roles to DiCaprio during the early years of his career, Cheung said that Leonardo DiCaprio’s name “burned” Christian Bale who had lost roles in movies like This Boy’s Life and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape to him.
Source: Celebrity CheatSheet, The Hollywood Reporter
