The Matrix’s Harold Perrineau only played Mercutio in a few scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Remo, but it was enough to form a relationship.

There were a few casting shake-ups while making Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s iconic play. But it was far from Leonardo DiCaprio’s most traumatic film experience. It was also about a year before DiCaprio became a mega-star thanks to the release of Titanic. But DiCaprio was still quite famous due to a number of projects early in his career. So, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he, like other young stars, caused some difficulties on the set of Romeo + Juliet.

But according to an interview his co-star Harold Perrineau did with Vulture, this wasn’t the case. Perrineau, who’d later be best known for his role in The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and Lost, spoke very highly of DiCaprio, with whom he shared most of his scenes. Of course, Perrineau played the ill-fated Mercutio, and therefore only appeared in the story for a short time. But during that time, he struck up a connection with DiCaprio…

What Was Harold Perrineau’s First Impression Of Leonardo DiCaprio?
Harold Perrineau was 33 when he first met Leonardo DiCaprio, who is ten years his junior.

“I remember meeting this young, goofy kid,” Harold Perrineau admitted during his excellent interview with Vulture about Romeo + Juliet. “I knew he was a movie star, or was on his way to being a movie star. He certainly wasn’t the movie star he’s become, but he’d already been nominated for an Oscar for Gilbert Grape. I remember meeting this young kid and going, ‘Okay! He’s cool'”

But Perrineau’s impression of DiCaprio altered when the two started working together.

“When we got there and started doing the work, it was really apparent, like, ‘Oh, this kid’s got it. He’s for real. He can do anything. Just anything.’ I was really impressed by him because I was trying so hard to do it ‘right.’ And he would just let it happen.”

Perrineau went on to say that he learned to be a bit freer on set due to how DiCaprio worked.

“I kind of learned from him that you can just let it happen. You’ve done all the preparation, you’ve done all the work, now just let it happen. Leo could turn it on and off at the drop of a dime. He’d be goofing off and be like, ‘Are you guys ready?’ And I’d be like, ‘Wait, I gotta prepare!’ This kid was ready to go all the time.”

Was Harold Perrineau Attracted To Leonardo DiCaprio?
During an old interview with Screen Slam, Harold Perrineau admitted that he was like all the other “twelve-year-old- girls” being “attracted” to Leonardo DiCaprio. This was bookended by some rather kind compliments about DiCaprio’s work ethic and talent.

In Perrineau’s far more recent interview with Vulture, he was asked to clarify these comments.

“Well, he’s a good-looking kid. We can’t deny that, can we? He’s a good-looking dude. If that were my predilection … I couldn’t say no, right?” Perrineau admitted.

Are Leonardo DiCaprio And Harold Perrineau Friends?
During his interview with Vulture, Hardol Perrineau claimed that the entire cast of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet.

“We were in Mexico, and we kind of only had each other. None of us really spoke the language. They were a little younger than me, so they were really having a wilder time than I was. But I liked hanging out with them,” Harold Perrineau admitted during his interview with Vulture.

“We were just having a wild, crazy time in Mexico, and I think it translated into the film. Mexico City, at the time, there was a lot happening. I think a lot of that wild energy really worked in the film.

As for what that “wild energy” actually entailed off of the set, Harold Perrineau told Vulture that it involved a lot of “partying and drinking and clubs and late nights and running through hotels, being just rockstar-kinda crazy.”

“There was a lot of that. A lot of girls. It was wild. I don’t know what to say here… There was a lot going on,” Perrineau explained to Vulture. “We had to be really careful. Leo had a bodyguard. Like I said, he was already a star, so we’d go places and it would get frenetic. There are people like, ‘Oh my God, he’s here!’ That kind of frenetic energy led to lots of … excited girls, jealous boys, in a town where anything can happen.”
“And we all stayed really good friends for years and years and years. [Leonardo DiCaprio] actually even helped my kids get into a school.”

Perrineau went on to explain that DiCaprio did “substantially more than put in a good word”.

“I don’t want to blow up his spot; he didn’t do it with any fanfare. But he gave quite a substantial donation to the school. Pretty impressive, I gotta be honest,” the Lost actor admitted to Vulture.

As for whether he and Leonardo DiCaprio are still friends today, Perrineau claimed that they’re extremely friendly whenever they bump into each other. However, they don’t really stay in touch.