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Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has been working in the industry for over three decades. The actor rose to international stardom thanks to his portrayal of Jack Dawson in the 1997 epic romance/disaster movie Titanic in which he starred alongside Kate Winslet. While the actor starred in numerous famous projects since then — he could also be seen in quite a few famous projects prior to Titanic.
Today, we're taking a look at the movies that made Leonardo DiCaprio a household name before Titanic. Even before the actor was a name everyone knew, he had already worked with legendary actors like Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, and Robert De Niro. From What's Eating Gilbert Grape to The Quick and the Dead — keep on scrolling to see just which projects the actor was a part of prior to the 1997 hit!
8 Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Kicking the list off is the 1996 romantic crime tragedy Romeo + Juliet. In it, Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Romeo, and he stars alongside Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Harold Perrineau, Pete Postlethwaite, and Paul Rudd. The movie is based on William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, and it currently holds a 6.7 rating on IMDb. Romeo + Juliet was made on a budget of $14.5 million, and it ended up grossing $147.6 million at the box office.
7 What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Next on the list is the 1993 coming-of-age drama What's Eating Gilbert Grape in which Leonardo DiCaprio plays Arnold "Arnie" Grape. Apart from DiCaprio, the movie also stars Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Mary Steenburgen, and John C. Reilly. The movie is based on Peter Hedges' 1991 novel of the same name, and it currently has a 7.7 rating on IMDb.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape was made on a budget of $11 million, and it ended up making $10 million at the box office. For his role in the movie, DiCaprio received his first nominations for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role — making him the seventh-youngest Best Supporting Actor nominee.
6 The Basketball Diaries (1995)
Let's move on to the 1995 biographical crime drama The Basketball Diaries. In it, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jim Carroll, and he stars alongside Bruno Kirby, Lorraine Bracco, Ernie Hudson, Patrick McGaw, and Mark Wahlberg. The movie is based on the autobiographical novel of the same name written by Jim Carroll — and it currently has a 7.3 rating on IMDb. The Basketball Diaries made $2.4 million at the box office.
5 Marvin's Room (1996)
The 1996 drama movie Marvin's Room in which Leonardo DiCaprio plays Hank is next. Besides DiCaprio, the movie also stars Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Hume Cronyn, and Gwen Verdon. Marvin's Room is based on the play of the same name by Scott McPherson, and it currently has a 6.7 rating on IMDb. The movie was made on a budget of $23 million, and it ended up grossing $12.8 million at the box office. Marvin's Room was DiCaprio's last project prior to Titanic which was released a year after it.
4 This Boy's Life (1993)
Next on the list is the 1993 biographical coming-of-age drama This Boy's Life. In it, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Tobias "Toby" Wolff, and he stars alongside Robert De Niro, Ellen Barkin, Jonah Blechman, Eliza Dushku, and Chris Cooper.
The movie is based on the memoir of the same name by author Tobias Wolff, and it currently has a 7.3 rating on IMDb. This Boy's Life ended up grossing $4 million at the box office.
3 Total Eclipse (1995)
Let's move on to the 1995 historic drama movie Total Eclipse. In it, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Arthur Rimbaud, and he stars alongside David Thewlis, Romane Bohringer, and Dominique Blanc. The movie is based on a 1967 play by Christopher Hampton, and it currently has a 6.5 rating on IMDb. Total Eclipse wasn't as successful as the actor's other projects, and it ended up making under $350,000 at the box office.
2 The Quick And The Dead (1995)
Lastly, wrapping the list up is the 1995 Revisionist Western movie The Quick and the Dead. In it, Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Fee "The Kid" Herod, and he stars alongside Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, Roberts Blossom, and Kevin Conway. The movie follows a female gunfighter who enters a dueling tournament in hopes of avenging her father's death. The Quick and the Dead currently holds a 6.5 rating on IMDb — and it ended up making $47 million at the box office.
1 His Other Work
While Leonardo DiCaprio did appear in a few more movies besides the ones listed, they were definitely the most famous projects the actor was a part of prior to his big breakthrough with Titanic. Other films he appeared in include the direct-to-video flick Critters 3 and Poison Ivy, in which he had a small cameo.