10 Best Leonardo DiCaprio Movies Of All Time

Leo almost died for his Oscar and it's not even his best performance...

Leonardo DiCaprio The Beach
20th Century Fox

Leonardo DiCaprio is undoubtedly one of the best actors working in Hollywood today. His films have gathered a total of over $7billion at the box office (thanks in no small part to Titanic!) and he has developed from a handsome young pin-up to a conscientious activist, serious actor/producer.

DiCaprio has gone from something of a supporting player to a major Hollywood draw, where his name usually means that the film the audience is about to watch is going to be good. He has successfully collaborated with both Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, though of course his greatest financial pairing came from his time with James Cameron.

He very effectively shed his pretty image as his films matured over the years. His recent turn as an aging Hollywood actor in Tarantino's Once Upon a Time....in Hollywood could be seen as something of a parallel, though it would not be true to say that his star is in any way dimming.

What is truly evident is that DiCaprio could have been something of another '90s heartthrob, destined to disappear like so many other unfortunate actors. However, his continual evolution and willingness to try new genres has managed to keep his star alive for thirty years now, eventually landing him with the coveted Best Actor Oscar.

His path is still on the up and so this list takes a quick look back at some of the roles that have helped him to get there.

10. What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

Leonardo DiCaprio The Beach
Paramount

If you haven't seen this film and are stuck for time, American Dad does a surprisingly loyal and loving tribute to it. DiCaprio represented by a squirrel is the depiction you never knew you needed.

While this is ostensibly a Johnny Depp picture, DiCaprio's performance is often singled out as the heart of the entire piece. He plays the mentally disabled Arnie, brother to Depp's Gilbert. They have a tight bond and the film is a sentimental depiction of a very dysfunctional family unit.

DiCaprio was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar here. To prepare for the role, he spent time living with children with mental disabilities. He found the experience to be highly illuminating, saying that while people may expect them to be one way or another, he says it was refreshing to him to view the world through their eyes.

He found that through their eyes, the world always seemed fresh. He plays this with an honest earnestness that stands out, tugging on every heartstring in the room as Arnie struggles to understand what's happening around him. His relationship with Depp is clearly well developed, yet his struggle to come to terms with the loss of his mother is rough.

The film is an example of what DiCaprio had to offer as a young man, which was really the beginning of his explosion into Hollywood.

Contributor
Contributor

Writer. Reader. Host. I'm Seán, I live in Ireland and I'm the poster child for dangerous obsessions with Star Trek. Check me out on Twitter @seanferrick