Leonardo DiCaprio
I work my way from place to
place. Tramp steamers and such. I won my ticket on Titanic here in a
lucky hand at poker."
-- Jack Dawson
At 24 years of age, LEONARDO
DiCAPRIO (Jack Dawson) has developed into one of his generation"s
most gifted and versatile talents. DiCaprio earned an Academy
Award® nomination for Best Supporting Actor at 19 for his
portrayal of an ebullient, mentally impaired youngster in "What"s
Eating Gilbert Grape?" The actor"s second film at the time, his
performance also garnered awards from the National Board of Review,
Chicago Film Critics and the Los Angeles Film Critics, as well as a
Golden Globe nomination.
DiCaprio made his film debut
opposite Robert DeNiro and Ellen Barkin in "This Boy"s Life" and has
subsequently appeared in a variety of features, from the Western "The
Quick and the Dead," with Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman, to "The
Basketball Diaries," a harrowing account of a young man"s spiral into
heroin addiction, to "Total Eclipse," shot in Paris, opposite David
Thewlis, in which DiCaprio played the poet Rimbaud.
In 1996, he starred with Claire
Danes in the critically acclaimed modern adaptation of "William
Shakespeare"s Romeo + Juliet," as well as the screen adaptation of
the successful play "Marvin"s Room," opposite Meryl Streep and Diane
Keaton.
DiCaprio has also appeared in
"The Man in the Iron Mask" as well as Woody Allen's "Celebrity". His
next movie "The Beach" recently completed filming. It is set to be
in Theaters this coming Holiday Season.
A native of Los Angeles,
DiCaprio began his acting career at age 14, appearing in commercials
and educational films. He soon moved into parts on episodic
television, including a role on "Growing Pains" in the popular
series" last season. He also appeared in the short film "The Foot
Shooting Party," released by Touchstone Pictures.