Each acclaimed actor in Hollywood must maintain a sense of elitism.
Their image is everything. They must project themselves as prestigious actors — the generation’s best. Accordingly, each of their roles must prove that.
And no name is as prestigious as Leonardo DiCaprio, the most respected actor of the 21st century. Simply put, he’s a class above; a presence in and out of the screen.
But his prestige was no fluke, it was a decision — a decision made to build the perfect image.
Leading in a bad role will irreversibly hurt your reputation. When the perfect image is shattered, the game is up — so why not simply make good movies?
It’s an ignorant question, as actors don’t seek bad movies. It’s merely an unfortunate decision. That is to say none have been quite as careful as Leonardo in choosing roles.
From Shutter Island to the present, he’s been in a total of 7 films — each are brilliant, his name possessing a wealth of masterpieces.
Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan and in particular, Martin Scorsese; the finest directors in modern cinema are all common partners with Leonardo.
It’s a perfect mixture. Leonardo performs and the directors work their magic.
He starred alongside Martin Scorsese in the decade’s most famous role as drug-addicted millionaire Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street.
He was the lead in this decade’s most mind-boggling, discussion-worthy, mindfuck — Christopher Nolan’s Inception.
And he completely stole the scene as the racist, bloody-handed slave owner in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.
Every role he plays is truly iconic, from Raging Rick Dalton in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Headstrong Hugh Glass in The Revenant.
And the world has been observing. Over time, a special prestigious reputation was born — over time, Leonardo DiCaprio became synonymous with brilliant films.
Out of his seven films this decade, five have been Best Picture contenders. Leading in all but one (Django).
Through those, he’s earned three Best Actor nominations, winning one for The Revenant.
Leonardo crafted a class of his own. His name alone assures audiences that the film will be one of that year’s finest.
Sometimes less is more. By limiting his films he controls his image. He surrounds himself with mystery and rarity, making his performance an event; each role unique and fresh.
Leonardo DiCaprio may not be this generation’s finest, but he certainly seems like it. And that is no easy feat to portray.
