Leonardo DiCaprio knew it was best not to disturb his co-star when he was so engrossed in his character.

Thanks to films like The Wolf of Wall Street, Titanic, The Great Gatsby and so much more, there is no doubt to the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio is a phenomenal actor. However, there is one actor out there who managed to intimidate him while working on a film together – Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis is a force to reckon with and while his ways to nail a role might not sit right with everyone, it sure helps him bring out the best in his characters.
Leonardo DiCaprio in Gangs of New York (2002) | Touchstone Pictures
After a few years of absence from the screen, Daniel Day-Lewis decided that Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York, which did a number on the audience, would be the perfect film for his return. Once back, he immersed himself in method acting and wouldn’t break character even when his co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio greeted him. Needless to say, Leonardo DiCaprio was too scared to talk to him again.

Leonardo DiCaprio Didn’t Talk to Daniel Day-Lewis for Nine Months

Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York | Touchstone Pictures
In an interview with the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, Leonardo DiCaprio opened up about what it was like working with Daniel Day-Lewis who was returning to the film industry after five years.

He recalled how just two days before filming began, he was going around greeting his fellow colleagues, including director Martin Scorsese. When he finally came to Day-Lewis and said “Morning, Daniel” all he got in return was a low grunt from the renowned actor.

It was like two days before we started shooting, and you know, we’d been saying, ‘Hi Daniel,’ ‘Hi Marty,’ ‘Good morning,’ stuff like that. I said, ‘Morning Daniel,’ and he went, [grunts]. I said, ‘Oh sh-t, game on.’

The Don’t Look Up actor then added that he probably didn’t say another word to Day-Lewis for the rest of the nine months they filmed Gangs of New York. It wasn’t till the final day of reshoots that the ice really broke.

I don’t think I said another word to him for the nine months that we were there. It was just—he was ‘Bill the Butcher,’ and that was it. It was only until the last day of reshoots that we kind of looked at each other and laughed, you know, and like, cracked a smile.

While everyone may not agree with Day-Lewis and his extreme methods, it sure worked for the actor. Just for his role as Bill the Butcher in the $193 million film, he received a ton of nominations including one at the 2003 Academy Awards. While he lost that one, he took home several others, including a British Academy Film Award, a Critics’ Choice Movie Award, a SAG Award, and more.

Leonardo DiCaprio Was in Awe of Daniel Day-Lewis’ Commitment

Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill the Butcher | Touchstone Pictures
When you immerse yourself in your character for nine months, it shows a level of commitment that has never been seen before and DiCaprio agrees. When asked if he could do what Day-Lewis does, the actor admitted that while he can do method to a certain degree, Day-Lewis is just on another level.

He even added that Day-Lewis’ commitment to his role was nothing less than inspiring to him.

In DiCaprio’s words,

I’ve done that to a certain degree, myself, but, you know, I think, ‘To each his own,’ And I think that his level of commitment is just so absolute, and he goes home in character. … To a certain degree, I’m sure he has to kiss his child and his wife and go to bed, but that kind of level of commitment was inspiring again for me.

He then called Day-Lewis “phenomenal” and gave the now-retired actor credits for helping him learn.

I mean, he was just phenomenal and in character all the time and you know, again, that I think as an actor being able to witness that and seeing this sort of heights of commitment like, that was another stage of learning for me.

Day-Lewis’ last film was Phantom Thread (2017) in which he played the role of Reynolds Woodcock. He has not returned to acting since then.