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Leonardo DiCaprio Reveals His Childhood Motivation: To Escape His Neighborhood

Leonardo DiCaprio opened up about what first pushed him toward acting. He shared that a big part of his childhood drive was simply wanting to get out of his neighborhood. His stepbrother's work in commercials showed him it was a possible path. Now, he looks back and sees 'Titanic' as the project that finally gave him full control over his career choices.

Key Points: Leonardo DiCaprio on Acting to Escape Childhood Neighborhood

  • DiCaprio was inspired by his stepbrother doing commercials to pursue acting for money and escape
  • His first role was as a gangster in a Matchbox car commercial with slicked-back hair
  • He credits 'Titanic' with giving him the freedom to choose his own projects
  • The actor sees the blockbuster film as the greatest gift and a major career turning point
2 min read

Leonardo DiCaprio: My propulsion to want to act as a kid was to get out of my neighbourhood

Leonardo DiCaprio tells Jennifer Lawrence his early drive to act was to get out of his neighborhood and build a career, starting with a Matchbox car commercial.

"I think a lot of my propulsion to want to act as a kid was to get out of my neighbourhood. - Leonardo DiCaprio"

Los Angeles, Dec 18

The award-winning film star Leonardo DiCaprio developed an interest in acting because he says he wanted to "get out of (his) neighbourhood".

Speaking to Jennifer Lawrence for variety.com, DiCaprio said: "I think a lot of my propulsion to want to act as a kid was to get out of my neighbourhood.

"My stepbrother did a lot of commercials. He was like, 'Wait a minute, you can get paid to do that? I got to get out of this place.' I was (our) stage mom, pushing my parents to take me on auditions. I told them, 'This is going to be my college fund to get me money to try to have some sort of career in something.' I didn’t book anything for a while.”

He added: “I got a Matchbox car commercial where I played a gangster with slicked back hair. I had a briefcase and I opened it up."

Asked if he went to the audition looking like a gangster, DiCaprio replied: "Yes. I slicked back my hair and I put a little leather jacket on. I booked Mickey’s Safety Club, too. An after-school special thing where you teach kids the dangers of drugs My first television show was The Outsiders. There’s my whole filmography."

Meanwhile, DiCaprio recently claimed that he believes Titanic allowed him to become the "conductor of (his) own choices," reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The actor starred alongside Kate Winslet in the record-breaking movie back in 1997, and DiCaprio said that the James Cameron-directed project changed the course of his career.

DiCaprio told Deadline: "Fully now in retrospect, I look back at that film and realise the thanks and the appreciation that I have for being a part of it, and to have been able to be in this incredibly fortunate position and not only to have been a part of that movie, but to be able to be the conductor of my own choices since."

DiCaprio found that Titanic's success gave him the freedom to pick and choose the projects he wanted to work on. As a result, he considers Titanic to have been a huge turning point in his career.

He said: "That has been just the greatest gift."

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Respect for his hustle. From a Matchbox car commercial to an Oscar winner. It's a classic rags-to-riches story that inspires. Makes you think about the power of that one big break, like Titanic was for him.
R
Rohit P
Interesting to hear his perspective. While his motivation was to "get out," I sometimes wonder if today's young actors, especially in Bollywood, have that same hunger or if it's more about fame from the start.
S
Sarah B
The part about being a "stage mom" to his own parents is hilarious and so true for many driven kids! Reminds me of stories from our own film industries, where passion often starts at home.
V
Vikram M
His honesty is refreshing. Not many stars admit they started for the money or to escape their circumstances. It grounds these larger-than-life figures. Wishing more celebrities were this real.
K
Kavya N
A gangster in a Matchbox commercial? 😂 That's the most adorable thing I've read today. It's funny how our first gigs are often so random. Great article!

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