When it comes to filmographies, very few actors can claim that they have as many iconic roles as Leonardo DiCaprio. Having collaborated with brilliant auteurs such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino, DiCaprio has worked hard to craft a body of work that is full of remarkable performances and incredible cinematic projects. In the process, he has picked up some of the most prestigious accolades within the industry.

While his resumé is full of beloved gems, there are many acclaimed works that the American actor has passed on over the course of his career. One such opportunity that stands out is American Psycho, where DiCaprio was initially cast to play the role of Patrick Bateman. Despite the fact that initial agreements were in place, the Titanic actor eventually backed out of the project because he simply couldn’t understand the screenplay.

During a conversation with The Morning Call, DiCaprio opened up about his thought process behind the rejection: “I read the script and sort of expressed interest in it. During that whole hot air balloon of Titanic media, it became something bigger than what it was. Actors do that all the time. They say, ‘I like this script’… Eventually, I realised it (American Psycho) didn’t amount to anything and didn’t mean anything in the end.”

The role went to Christian Bale, who delivered the performance of his career as a psychologically disturbed investment banker who chases the highs of the cut-throat financial world through his violent dealings as a serial killer. Although it is now seen as one of the most influential works of its time, the cast and crew had the same concerns as DiCaprio during the initial phase of the production when they couldn’t understand the point.

Bale said: “Josh Lucas and I did a film together recently, and he opened my eyes to something that I had been unaware of. He informed me that all of the other actors thought that I was the worst actor they’d ever seen. He was telling me they kept looking at me and talking about me, saying, ‘Why did Mary fight for this guy? He’s terrible.’ And it wasn’t until he saw the film that he changed his mind. And I was in the dark completely about that critique.”

Mary Harron’s psychological horror managed to bring something new to the table because of its incisively satirical treatment of a highly glamorised world. Although its legacy has been partially morphed by social media circles who worship problematic characters such as Patrick Bateman, the 2000 Bret Easton Ellis adaptation remains a noteworthy part of popular culture.

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