Throughout his career, Leonardo DiCaprio has collaborated with Martin Scorsese over 6 movies, with their seventh installment, Killers of the Flower Moon, arriving in theatres this October. But among all the classics they’ve joined forces for, 2006’s The Departed, including Jack Nicholson, was the only film to earn Oscar recognition, earning Scorsese his first Academy Win for Best Director.
And one of the prominent reasons behind the film’s enormous success was Jack Nicholson’s performance as mob boss Frank Costello, whose improv as the character terrified even DiCaprio.
Jack Nicholson’s Improv Terrified Leonardo DiCaprio in The Departed
The Departed witnessed Leonardo DiCaprio playing an undercover cop in an Irish mob, while the mob planted their own mole Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) in the police force. And as the drama escalates, one of the most memorable scenes in the entire movie takes place, which witnesses Jack Nicholson‘s Costello interrogating DiCaprio’s Billy Costigan. But considering The Shining Star was let loose by Martin Scorsese to improvise, this resulted in DiCaprio being actually terrified by Nicholson’s presence, even though he was never in real danger.
“I believe Jack went up to Marty afterward and said, ‘I don’t know if he necessarily believed me. I don’t know if he was sincerely threatened.’ Marty said, ‘Let’s do it again tomorrow.’ So I come on the set the next day and hear we’re doing the scene over for lighting reasons. Okay. But then a prop guy comes over to me and says, ‘Just to let you know, there were some props Jack asked for. I had to get him a fire extinguisher, a bottle of whiskey, a lighter, and a gun.'”
Can’t blame DiCaprio for being actually terrified, as Nicholson is no stranger to giving nightmares to the viewers through his intense performances, with one prime example being The Shining.
Jack Nicholson’s The Shining Gave Leonardo DiCaprio Nightmares
Before Jack Nicholson sent chills down his spine in person, The Shining involving the Batman star gave nightmares to DiCaprio. But it wasn’t Nicholson’s iconic performance as Jack Torrance that haunted the actor for years, as DiCaprio revealed that the identical Grady twins from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining never failed to spook him.
“The twins in The Shining scare the crap out of me. They scare the living daylights out of me. I think that’s one of the most powerful images in film, as far as terrifying is concerned.”
Thanks to the impressive performances from the cast, accompanied by Martin Scorsese’s impeccable direction, The Departed took home the Best Picture accolade at the Oscars.
The Departed is available to stream on Max.
Source: Variety
