Leonardo DiCaprio’s role as Jack Dawson in Titanic propelled him to mega-stardom. He became a global star and the heartthrob of girls and women all over. While the Oscar-winning film opened doors for him, it also made other Hollywood actors wary of working with him.
While one might think that being in a project with DiCaprio would ensure a guaranteed spotlight on it, Ethan Hawke didn’t think that. The actor had stated that he wasn’t interested in working with the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star because his fame actually took more than it gave.
Ethan Hawke Was Scared Of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rabid Fanbase
Ethan Hawke had once auditioned to star with Kate Winslet in James Cameron’s epic, Titanic. He didn’t get the role in the record-breaking film that grossed $2.2 billion, but he got to see the kind of fame Leonardo DiCaprio got enveloped in once the movie was released.
After that, Hawke felt that losing the role was a blessing in disguise because he saw first-hand in a bar while drinking with DiCaprio how people acted around him. He said in an interview with The Telegraph:
“I sat there watching him and it was like watching a Beatle. The closest thing I’ve ever come to that frenzy. All the girls wanted to f*** him and all the guys wanted to fight him. I went to myself: ‘Wow man, I’m glad I didn’t get that part.”
In another interview, he said that the Shutter Island star is one of the best actors of his generation, but his fame became more of a barrier rather than a tool for him. He said:
“I think Leonardo is a great example of [a star who is too big]. I think he was definitely one of the most exciting actors of his generation and I think [his fame] has made it a lot harder on him … Titanic didn’t do him any favors. He’s a guy who used to be able to turn out two movies a year, and kind of do whatever he wanted.”
In fact, the Before Sunset star once stated that he dropped out of a play with Leonardo DiCaprio because he thought the project would lose all of its credibility.
Ethan Hawke Dropped Out Of A Leonardo DiCaprio Play For His Sanity And Artistic Integrity
Ethan Hawke once stated that he wanted to do a play with Leonardo DiCaprio, but then realized that it would come across as a stunt. Also, he thought that The Revenant star’s main fanbase- teenage girls, wouldn’t care about the intensity of the material being presented. Hawke said:
“I had an idea to do a play with him and I finally realized: ‘I can’t do a play with this guy … it would be a stunt.’ The audience would be full of 12-year-old girls who didn’t [care] what … we could be doing the darkest Eugene O’Neill play in the world and people would still scream through Act Three.”
It seemed Hawke was sorry for DiCaprio because his friend couldn’t go and do just any film he wanted to after Titanic. He explained:
“He’s placed in this position now where he can’t go just do some $5 million movie and go play around. That guy was poised to take over where River (Phoenix) was, but all of a sudden, he’s this big movie star. I think it’s really hard on him.”
However, no matter how much the Total Recall star seemingly pities DiCaprio, he still wanted a taste of that fame because he would “never have had to worry about my career” again. Even though Hawke didn’t get DiCaprio’s levels of fame, he did star in well-regarded films like The Black Phone, Gattaca, Predestination, and more.
Source: The Telegraph
