Leonardo DiCaprio is unequivocally one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. From the moment he had his breakout with тιтanic to now, where he’s closing in on the launch of his new film, One Battle After Another, he does not have many true rivals, as most other actors would be envious of his career.
He’s a global box office draw who commands big paydays. He’s a consistent awards contender for his performances, having racked up six acting Oscar nominations and won one, nearly a decade ago, for The Revenant.
DiCaprio has also worked with many of the biggest directors around. His collaborations with Martin Scorsese are unforgettable. The actor’s desire to work with the upper echelon in that field has now led him to Paul Thomas Anderson, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood, whose films have 28 Oscar nominations.
One Battle After Another puts DiCaprio in the lead of PTA’s insightful new action thriller, which has generated rave early reactions. The pairing of these two is another exciting development in the actor’s career. It’s even sweeter for him based on the biggest regret of his career.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Biggest Regret Is Turning Down A Previous Paul Thomas Anderson Movie
While One Battle After Another marks the first time DiCaprio and PTA are working together, there was almost a much different collaboration many years prior. The actor has spent years talking about how he could have been the star of Boogie Nights. He was up for the role of Dirk Diggler, which ultimately went to Mark Wahlberg.
The reason he didn’t sign up for Paul Thomas Anderson’s now iconic 1997 movie was due to scheduling conflicts with тιтanic. He was already committed to starring in James Cameron’s film and chose to stay with that production instead of leaving it for Boogie Nights.
It’s a potentially career-shifting decision for DiCaprio. Yet, most would not argue with the choice he made. тιтanic became the highest-grossing movie ever at the time and steamrolled through awards season, winning 11 Oscars.
DiCaprio was not nominated for an Oscar for тιтanic. Neither was Mark Wahlberg for Boogie Nights.
But in the midst of One Battle After Another‘s press tour, the star reflected on this moment with a surprising admission. During an interview with Esquire, he told PTA that pᴀssing on Boogie Nights is the biggest regret of his career.
I’ll say it even though you’re here: My biggest regret is not doing Boogie Nights. It was a profound movie of my generation. I can’t imagine anyone but Mark [Wahlberg] in it. When I finally got to see that movie, I just thought it was a masterpiece. It’s ironic that you’re the person asking that question, but it’s true.
It’s fascinating to consider how differently DiCaprio’s career would look if he had done the opposite and made Boogie Nights instead of тιтanic. He’d have a very different type of iconic role in his filmography, but his path to box office stardom may never have happened.
Knowing that pᴀssing on Boogie Nights has weighed on him for so long makes it even more exciting that he’s finally gotten the chance to work with PTA. One Battle After Another now arrives with heightened anticipation to see how well DiCaprio works in one of the director’s films.
DiCaprio may still regret missing out on being part of a classic PTA movie that has grown in its iconography over the last nearly 30 years. But, One Battle After Another presents him with a chance to be part of a modern masterpiece as the two join forces at the peak of their powers.
