8 Actors Who Got Famous Off Just One Scene

Leonardo DiCaprio has been in the entertainment industry since he was just a young boy, with the actor famously dropping out of high school to pursue a career in acting.

That career didn't come overnight, of course, and the young Leo found himself working commercials and having the odd guest spot on TV shows such as The New Lassie and Roseanne. Having made his big-screen debut in 1991's Critters 3, it was two years later in This Boy's Life that DiCaprio cemented himself as one of the hottest rising stars in the business.

As troubled Toby Wolff, the future A-lister delivered a performance that was one of the best of the decade, period. Sharing screen time with Robert De Niro and Ellen Barkin was always going to be a great moment for such a fledgling career, and it's DiCaprio's dynamic with De Niro in particular that stands out as the foundation of the movie.

The legendary De Niro plays Dwight, the abusive partner of Toby's mother - and it's the first time that Dwight shows his true vicious and cruel nature to Toby that DiCaprio really shines. A similarly stunning performance was around the corner for Leo in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and from there he was soon to find himself in the likes of Romeo + Juliet and Titanic as he became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.