Titanic unquestionably played a vital part in the initial phase of Leonardo DiCaprio’s career. Despite his prior Oscar nomination for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and his success with Romeo + Juliet, it was his starring role in James Cameron’s colossal oceanic saga that firmly established him as an A-list talent. But there’s something that outraged the actor while shooting.
Undoubtedly, the electric on-screen rapport between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet propelled Titanic to the pinnacle of the highest-grossing films chart, where it remained unchallenged for over a decade until James Cameron’s another masterpiece, Avatar, claimed its box office throne. Clearly, Cameron reigns as the ultimate master.
Why Was Leonardo DiCaprio Outraged By James Cameron
The film’s success doesn’t imply that the dynamic between James Cameron and Leonardo DiCaprio on the Titanic set was always harmonious. Despite being one of the greatest films ever made, Cameron’s insistence on numerous takes reportedly led to DiCaprio’s absolute fury at least once. In a 2022 interview with Empire Magazine, Cameron revealed that he has implemented a rule on the set of his latest films, capping each scene at a maximum of 20 takes.
Cameron told Empire Magazine:
“If you can’t get it in 20 takes, there’s probably something fundamentally wrong with the set-up, so shoot a quick cutaway and move on,”
However, this practice during the filming of Titanic caused friction between one of the most renowned directors of all time and his young lead actor, particularly during a complex scene.
Cameron continued:
“I remember Leo DiCaprio was outraged when I pulled the plug on a ‘oner’ scene at 20 takes. We didn’t have it and he couldn’t fathom just moving on. He was more of a perfectionist than I was! I recall we used take three.”
Given that Titanic was the most monumental project of DiCaprio’s career thus far, it’s understandable that he wanted to ensure his performance was top-notch. However, James Cameron, aware of the necessity to sacrifice certain elements for the film’s success, had to make tough decisions. Ultimately, both of them had valid points.
Leonardo DiCaprio Initially Felt Titanic’s Story Was Boring
At first, Leonardo DiCaprio showed little enthusiasm for joining James Cameron’s Titanic. He felt that the character of Jack wasn’t sufficiently challenging and considered the script to be dull. It took some persuasion from Cameron to get him on board and recognize the depth of the film’s challenges.
DiCaprio told People’s Magazine:
“He didn’t want to do a leading man,” recalls Cameron. “I had to really twist his arm to be in the movie. He didn’t want to do it. He thought it was boring. I convinced him that it was actually a difficult challenge. It didn’t surprise me, first of all, that he’s made a lot of authentic choices going forward. And secondly, I never doubted his talent. “
The movie went on to secure 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Cameron. DiCaprio’s stardom soared to unprecedented heights following the film.
Titanic is available for streaming on Paramount+.
