Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most successful and acclaimed actors in Hollywood. He has starred in many films, from romantic comedies to historical dramas to action thrillers. He has a collection of accolades in recognition of his work in Hollywood, which includes an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
In addition to his acting career, DiCaprio is also a passionate environmental advocate. He has been very outspoken on multiple forums about the incessant need to conserve the environment. The actor is a man extraordinaire, what with his exceptional acting and the fact that he is a good Samaritan too. And keeping all of the above in mind, is it really possible for him to be removed from a Hollywood project?
Leonardo DiCaprio’s career in Hollywood
Leonardo DiCaprio began his acting career at a young age, appearing in commercials and television shows. His first major film role was in the 1991 horror film Critters 3. In 1992, DiCaprio starred in the coming-of-age film This Boy’s Life, opposite Robert De Niro. The film was a success, and it helped launch DiCaprio’s career as a leading man. DiCaprio’s next major film was the 1997 romantic disaster film, Titanic, which too was a massive success worldwide. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film.
Though he is an acclaimed actor now, there was a time when DiCaprio was removed from a project. Surprising as it is, DiCaprio spoke about the time when he was thrown off a very popular children’s show called Romper’s Room, which aired from the early 50s to the mid-90s. In an interview with the folks at Deadline, he said,
“I have very faint memories of it, but I remember my stepbrother had dabbled in acting when he was young;” “Romper Room was the big hit show, and there I was.”
“I remember running up to the camera, looking into it, and slapping it. They had to sit me down multiple times.” “And when the host said, ‘Hey, kids, it’s story time,’ I am screaming, at the top of my voice, ‘Yeaaah!’ And then they fired me. I’m afraid I deserved it. They had to kick me out.”
Despite the one project that clearly didn’t work out for Leo, he has continued to star in successful films throughout his career. Some of his other notable films include The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Blood Diamond (2006), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), and The Revenant (2015).
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His time as an environmentalist and the founding of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
DiCaprio has been a vocal environmental advocate for many years. He founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, which works to raise awareness about climate change and other environmental issues. The foundation has funded over 200 projects in over 50 countries.
DiCaprio has also spoken out about environmental issues at the United Nations and other forums. In 2014, he gave a speech at the UN Climate Summit conference. In his speech, he called for urgent action to address climate change. Here is an excerpt from his speech:
“As an actor I pretend for a living. I play fictitious characters often solving fictitious problems.”
“I believe humankind has looked at Climate Change in that same way: as if it were a fiction, happening to someone else’s planet, as if pretending that Climate Change wasn’t real would somehow make it go away.”
His speech in its entirety was an exceptional one, which also reflects on the importance of the conservation of the environment to the actor. And it really, truly makes it that much more unbelievable when you get to know something along the lines of how the actor was thrown off a show back then; or how it wasn’t until The Revenant that he won an Academy Award. DiCaprio is truly a one in a generation kind of celebrity, who cares for something so much bigger than himself; and that is saying something, because the actor is somewhat a global phenomenon himself.
DiCaprio is a role model for many people, both in Hollywood and around the world. He is an inspiration to young actors, and he is a powerful voice for environmental activism.
Source: Showbiz CheatSheet
