Leonardo DiCaprio's career could've resulted in a much different trajectory. He received lots of acclaim for his role in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape', however, things could have easily changed had he accepted an offer to appear in 'Hocus Pocus' instead.
Heck a year later, his career could've shifted again, just missing out on a role alongside Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in 'Interview with the Vampire'.
Nonetheless, he forged quite the resume and net worth, and the actor continues to thrive with a major Netflix picture on the horizon, 'Don't Look Up.'
For now, we'll take a look back at his breakout in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape', and what went on behind the scenes.
It seems as though Leo didn't get along with a certain co-star and in truth, he avoided the actor for the rest of his career.
Johnny Depp And Leonardo DiCaprio Worked Together On 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape'
Johnny Depp was an established name at the time, while Leonardo DiCaprio was starting to make a name for himself. Looking back at Leo's resume, some might argue that 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' was his big breakout role.
Although the film didn't crush it at the box office, Leo thrived in his performance. According to the actor, a big reason for the success in the film had to do with the fact that he was encouraged to improvise throughout the film. He elaborated alongside Cheat Sheet.
“That role was so fun because I wasn’t dependent on the screenplay whatsoever,” DiCaprio said. “I mean, I had my own set of rules, I could do whatever the hell I wanted. … Sometimes it was like, you know, a dramatic scene for Johnny, and I would just be throwing spaghetti in the air. And [Hallström] would say, ‘Are you sure you want to do that?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know, this is what I’d be doing.’ He’s like, ‘Alright, you go for it.’ …”
Although it was a positive experience on-set, it was a different story away from the camera. Johnny Depp admitted himself, he wasn't the kindest when working alongside Leo back in the day.
Johnny Depp Tormented Leonardo DiCaprio During The Film
Depp would reveal in recent years that he wasn't in the best state of mind while filming 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
According to Depp, he was often teasing Leo, whether it be about his video games or, teasing him about smoking cigarettes around his mom.
Depp shared the full scoop alongside Closer Weekly.
“It was a hard time for me, that film, for some reason. I don’t know why. I tortured him. I really did,” Johnny, 52, said of working with Leo, 41, in the 1993 film. “He was always talking about these videos games, you know? I told you it was kind of a dark period. ‘No, I will not give you a drag of my cigarette while you hide from your mother again, Leo.'”
Although behind the scenes things were troublesome, Depp revealed it did not carry over to the film. He praised Leo's role and how great he did in the film.
“I’d say the absolute truth is that I respect Leo a lot,” Johnny added during his recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. “He worked really hard on that film and spent a lot of time researching. He came to set and he was ready to work hard and all his ducks were in a row.”
Despite Leo's performance in the film, it seems like he might not have forgiven Depp for the treatment, especially given that they never appeared in a film together again.
DiCaprio And Depp Haven't Worked A Film Together Since
There are certain duos fans want to see but haven't gotten the chance. That was the case with Leo and Brad Pitt for years until they finally starred together in 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.'
The same can be said for DiCaprio and Depp, who haven't appeared in a film together since 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' way back in the early '90s.
As it turns out, tabloids claim that there still might be beef between the two, not only for their troubled relationship back in the day, but the story goes that they also competed against one another for a certain woman's heart, though this is strictly just speculation.
Whatever the case might be, it seems like Leo has no interest in working alongside Depp, and that doesn't appear to be changing in the years to come.