It took some time for Leonardo DiCaprio to get over his work in a certain traumatizing film.
2022 has been an interesting year for Leonardo DiCaprio. He didn’t have any major movies coming out, having been part of the ensemble cast of the 2021 apocalyptic political satire film Don’t Look Up.Instead, most recent headlines involving the actor have been about his love life. DiCaprio became a single man once again in September, after breaking up with his girlfriend Camilla Morrone.Fans had been speculating on social media that it was just a matter of time before the split happened, with most believing that the Inception star is averse to dating women above the age of 25. As of November, however, DiCaprio was rumored to be in a relationship with model Gigi Hadid, 27.Away from the whispers about his love life, one thing that hasn’t changed for DiCaprio is his status as one of the finest actors of his generation. Since he started his career in 1991, the L.A.-born star has featured in less than 40 films, but most of those that he does appear in end up being smash hits.
One of those classic DiCaprio movies was the psychological thriller Shutter Island, which was released in 2010. The actor called his role in the picture “the most traumatic of his career.”
Leonardo DiCaprio Played The Lead Role In Shutter Island
In the movie Shutter Island, DiCaprio plays a U.S. Marshal called Teddy Daniels, who is tasked with investigating the disappearance of a patient at an isolated mental hospital located on a remote island. As he delves deeper into the mystery, he begins to uncover dark secrets and conspiracies that threaten to unravel his own sanity.
Shutter Island received very positive reviews upon its release in 2010, with many critics praising DiCaprio’s performance as a standout element. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called DiCaprio’s performance “exemplary,” and praised his ability to convey the character’s emotional turmoil and descent into madness.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Kirk Honeycutt wrote that DiCaprio “brings a great deal of emotional depth” to the role, and noted that he “is equally convincing as a man unhinged by grief as he is a man driven to the brink of madness by a conspiracy.”
Shutter Island was seen as more than just a thriller, but also as a psychological study of grief and loss, with DiCaprio’s performance capturing the raw, vulnerable emotions of a man struggling to come to terms with the loss of his wife.
Why Was Leonardo DiCaprio Traumatized By His Role In Shutter Island?
Leonardo DiCaprio’s role in Shutter Island may have been one of his most iconic and memorable performances, but it also took a massive emotional toll on him.
In an interview with Parade.com, DiCaprio revealed that he was “traumatized” by his experience in the film and that it had a lasting impact on him.
“I have to say Shutter Island was one of the most intense, hardcore filming experiences I’ve ever had, as we explored what the mentally ill had to face in the days when mental hospitals were called insane asylums,” DiCaprio told Parade. “It was really very traumatic, and I don’t say that about a film very often.”
The harrowing experience also taught DiCaprio a few things about himself. “I went to places and unearthed some things that I didn’t think I was capable of. It was like an emotional layer cake that just kept getting deeper and deeper,” he explained.
Does Leonardo DiCaprio Regret Starring In Shutter Island?
On top of the present horrors that playing Teddy Daniels in Shutter Island exposed from within him, Leonardo DiCaprio also felt that the role dug back up some demons from his past.
“But when I used a nicotine patch when I was trying to quit smoking, I did have blood-curdling nightmares of mass murders, and I woke up in the middle of the night and had to take the patches off. I guess I had moments like that in the film.”
Despite the challenges he faced while filming Shutter Island, DiCaprio revealed that he did not regret it. He expressed pride in his work in the film, and was grateful for the opportunity to play such a complex and demanding role. He also praised his co-stars and the film’s director, Martin Scorsese, for their contributions to the film’s success.
“Shutter Island is in line with the type of movies [Martin] does best,” DiCaprio said to Mercury News shortly before the release of the film. “He’s a true artist in every sense of the word.”
