Leonardo DiCaprio opened up about the directors he yearns to work with during an intimate conversation with Jennifer Lawrence for Variety's Actors on Actors. The Oscar-winning actor, renowned for his meticulous selection of roles, shared which filmmakers he holds in the highest esteem and which dream collaborations are still on his "bucket list" of aspirations.
When asked about the directors he considers his "white whales," Leonardo DiCaprio referred to them as such, hinting at his long-standing admiration for auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson. While he doesn't have a specific "white whale" director, he singled out Damien Chazelle, the genius behind La La Land and Babylon, as "very talented." He also praised Michael Mann as "amazing," hinting at a potential collaboration with either in the future.
Looking back on his history with Paul Thomas Anderson, the One Battle After Another actor shared that he almost partnered with the director on Boogie Nights. "We almost did Boogie Nights together, and then I got to watch his entire career progress over the last 25 years and see this incredible visionary," he said.
For those unfamiliar, Leonardo DiCaprio was originally set to join Boogie Nights but chose Titanic instead. When asked about the decision, he explained, "It was a mix of things. Titanic and Boogie Nights kind of overlapped in production. Maybe it could have worked out." Even though it's been over 30 years since he passed on the film, DiCaprio has often admitted he regrets saying no, reminiscing on what could have been a legendary collaboration.
In a different interview with Paul Thomas Anderson, he called Boogie Nights a "profound movie of his generation." He praised Mark Wahlberg's performance, saying no one else could have done it justice. Watching it later, DiCaprio realized it was a true masterpiece and acknowledged the irony of discussing regrets with Anderson. "I can't imagine anyone but Mark [Wahlberg] in it. When I finally got to see that movie, I just thought it was a masterpiece. It's ironic that you're the one asking that question [about regrets], but it's true."
