Hollywood is a competitive place, even for the biggest and brightest stars, and the right movie at the right time can change everything. Sure, stars like Dwayne Johnson, Brad Pitt, and Jennifer Lopez make it look easy, but the truth is that every person is fighting for positions in a business that is more than willing to leave stars in the past in favor of the flavor of the week.
During the 90s, Leonardo DiCaprio was establishing himself as one of the brightest young stars in Hollywood, and the biggest studios in the business quickly saw that he had the potential to be a generational talent. So, when an offer to star in what became a star-turning role came knocking, DiCaprio would have to make a tough decision.
Let’s see which Mark Wahlberg role Leonardo DiCaprio wound up missing out on.
He Was Offered Dirk Diggler In Boogie Nights
Back during the 90s, Leonardo DiCaprio was turning into a movie star before the world’s very eyes, and plenty of studios wanted to get their hands on the blossoming star to bolster their projects. After seeing DiCaprio star in The Basketball Diaries, director Paul Thomas Anderson wanted DiCaprio to star as Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights.
The thing about being a hot commodity in the business is that a star could very well have multiple offers on the table, and this was precisely the case for DiCaprio during the time that the cast of Boogie Nights was being assembled. Turns out, a little movie called Titanic was also looking to secure the performer’s services, and eventually, DiCaprio would choose to star in the bigger picture.
When speaking with GQ, DiCaprio would say, “‘Boogie Nights’ is a movie I loved and I wish I would've done.”
Instead of taking the role in Boogie Nights, DiCaprio, according to Insider, would recommend Mark Wahlberg, who starred alongside the performer in The Basketball Diaries. This wound up being a golden ticket for Wahlberg to get the gig and shift the public’s perception of his acting career.
Wahlberg Gets The Gig
Prior to landing the role of Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights, Mark Wahlberg had put together and interesting career in the business. At first, he was a Calvin Klein model and a rapper, but eventually, he would start appearing in movies in order to move into a new phase of his journey.
Though he was not a huge star in acting quite yet, Wahlberg did have some credits under his belt before Paul Thomas Anderson came knocking. He had starred alongside DiCaprio in the aforementioned Basketball Diaries, and he had also appeared in movies like Fear and Renaissance Man. Most people still saw him as Marky Mark, but Boogie Nights would change things in a hurry.
Despite being a smaller picture, Boogie Nights would find box office success and it would receive a ton of acclaim. According to IMDb, Boogie Nights received multiple Oscar nominations and it solidified Wahlberg as a legitimate actor who could now take leading roles.
As for that Titanic film the DiCaprio chose instead of Boogie Nights, well, let’s just say that he made the most of the role and became a global star.
During his interview with GQ, DiCaprio talked about changing one role for the other, saying, “I'm not saying I would have. But it would have been a different direction, career-wise. I think they're both great and wish I could have done them both."
They Worked Together In The Departed
In the years to follow, both Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg became massive stars in their own right, with each finding plenty of success at the box office while rolling in millions of dollars. DiCaprio may have received more acclaim, but Wahlberg was still hugely successful. Eventually, they would star alongside each other once again in The Departed.
Utilizing an ensemble cast with Martin Scorsese behind the camera, The Departed was an amazing success at the box office that wound up winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. Not only that, but Wahlberg would be nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film, marking his one and only Academy Award nomination.
There is no project lined up that is set to feature both performers again, but fans would love to see DiCaprio and Wahlberg in another movie together. The Basketball Diaries and The Departed are both great movies, so maybe they can keep that up with their next picture together.
Leonardo DiCaprio may have some regrets about passing on Boogie Nights, but things worked out just fine for the star.