As surprising as it may seem, Steven Spielberg actually has a personal crime backstory related to ‘Catch Me If You Can’ from his teenage years!

Steven Spielberg is one of the most refined filmmakers in the entire entertainment industry, gifting viewers with true cinematic gems. Besides helming the masterpieces Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park franchises, he is also credited with directing 2002’s widely critically commended Catch Me If You Can, which is quite literally regarded as one of the best movies he has ever created.

Steven Spielberg. | Credit: Elena Ternovaja/Wikimedia Commons.
But while the crime-comedy is already perfect just the way it is, there’s a backstory to it too; one that makes the movie tenfold more interesting than it already is. What’s even more surprising is that this story involves the Oscar winner committing the same crime as in the movie while growing up, and this story would be more than enough to make you look at the film differently than ever before.

Steven Spielberg Holds a Personal Connection to Catch Me If You Can

Yes, Catch Me If You Can already hits as an unbelievable piece of entertainment on a whole other level when you watch it. But what makes it even more unbelievable is the fact that the director who helmed the film actually lived through one of those crimes for a whole summer.

And, for the record, it happened back when he was a little less than 16 years old.

Catch Me If You Can. (2002) | Credit: DreamWorks Pictures.
This confession came in 2002, during an interview with Roger Ebert, when Spielberg was asked to address the reports that he actually put on a suit and tie and “onto the studio lot at Universal when you were 16 years old.”

To this, Steven Spielberg said:

Yeah, just about. I think a little bit less than 16. And I did that for a whole summer during my high school vacation.

Spielberg did that?! The very Spielberg we know?! Well, although as wild as it may seem, this confession only proves that yes, Spielberg actually did that.
A still from Catch Me If You Can. | Credit: DreamWorks Pictures.
What’s more is that even while posing fake as someone he wasn’t, the mastermind filmmaker was never caught, although he was, in fact, in violation of the law.

As the Jaws director himself admitted:

Pretty much so. I was trespassing. There were a number of books they could have thrown at me if they had caught me but they never caught me.

Now that must unarguably be one of the wildest stories ever confessed by a celebrity (Jennifer Lawrence holds a majority of those other wild stories, for the record).

But even though the director and the characters in his movie all committed similar crimes, something still sets them apart: Their purpose and their situation, which was quite the opposite while comparing both cases.

This One Thing Sets Steven Spielberg’s Crime Apart From the Film
Tom Hanks in a still from the movie. | Credit: DreamWorks Pictures.

Tom Hanks in a still from Catch Me If You Can. | Credit: DreamWorks Pictures.
Continuing during the interview, Spielberg was asked to share his thoughts if he felt “you have to bend the laws to get into the industry, one way or another.” To this, he said:

I don’t know if you have to bend the laws but I think mine was a unique case. I mean, I just had such a desire to make movies.

The director then shared just the thing that set his crime apart from the one Leonardo DiCaprio‘s Frank Abagnale commits in the movie.

Talking about himself first, the Schindler’s List helmer then said:

I had been making movies as a high school student, you know, and so I thought the best way to do was watch how the professionals did it, so when I went on the Universal lot I was chasing my dreams.

Leonardo DiCaprio in a still from Catch Me If You Can. | Credit: DreamWorks Pictures.
In comparison, Frank was actually being chased throughout the film and was pretty much trying to get away with it. As Spielberg continued to explain:

Whereas all the things that Frank Abagnale does in “Catch Me If You Can”–his chutzpah is based on getting away with something as he’s being chased. So he’s being pursued. And I was the pursuer–of a career. That’s why I did what I did.

All of this being said, it does sound pretty tempting to try this at least once in your life to all those aspiring filmmakers out there.

However, one must remember that not everyone is as lucky as Spielberg, and getting caught might as well ruin your career even before starting it. So as tempting as it may seem, those contemplating it after reading this are recommended not to jump into this fiesta and rely on their filmmaking skills instead.

Meanwhile, you can still enjoy the thrill of it all by watching Catch Me If You Can on Netflix.