We won't say that Leonardo DiCaprio is on par with the likes of Shia LeBeouf and Jared Leto when it comes to over-the-top method acting. However, he is very serious about the roles that he takes on, and prior to hitting the set, he does a lot of research for the given role.
That started way back when, during his first breakout film, 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape'. Prior to the film, Leo lived alongside disabled teens. He lived at the home and got to interact with others while taking notes on how the others would interact as well.
That theme stayed true throughout his career and as it turns out, he would even prep for certain roles physically. While prepping for a certain gig, Leo wanted to put on muscle, specifically given the part that he was playing in the film required him to look a certain way.
In addition, it is said that he wanted to leave that pretty boy 'Titanic' image in the past. We can safely say the film helped to do so, as Leo was great and so was the movie.
We'll take a look at what the role was, along with his prep for the film.
Leo Heavily Researches His Roles
Leo is known to be very intense when prepping for a role, and at times, that also includes going over and above on the set of a film. 'The Revenant' is the biggest example, not only did Leo eat raw bison during the experience, but he also slept in animal carcasses... Yup, filming the movie was quite the adventure and extremely dangerous. Though given Leo's past, he embraces the danger aspect.
"My friends have named me the person they least want to do extreme adventures with, because I always seem to be very close to being part of a disaster. If a cat has nine lives, I think I’ve used a few. I mean, there was the shark incident …"
As if that wasn't wild enough, Leo told Wired that he was basically thrown into a frozen river... thank goodness he finally won an Oscar for the role given everything he put himself through.
"Oh, they had EMTs there. And they had this machine that they put together—it was kind of like a giant hair dryer with octopus tentacles—so I could heat my feet and fingers after every take, because they got locked up with the cold. So they were basically blasting me with an octopus hair dryer after every single take for nine months."
Now his preparation for another film wasn't as intense, though it did take a big push from a physical standpoint to change his look.
Putting On Muscle For 'The Departed'
In 2006, Leo took on the role of cop Bill Costigan. To look the role, he decided to put on some muscle. We assume his co-star might've given him some advice, Mark Wahlberg, who is a workout freak is among the cast. Of course, the film we're referring to is none other than 'The Departed'.
According to Pop Workouts, Leo added 15-pounds of muscle to his frame, which was a major change compared to his previous look. Workouts were basic and to the point, according to his trainer Gregory Roche, it featured stretching, conditioning to stay lean, and muscle building. The split featured chest along with shoulders, the dreaded leg day, and lots abs and cardio immersed in-between.
It was a different kind of preparation for Leo, but given how well the film was received, we can safely say it all worked out for the better.
The Film Was A Success
Looking back, it was almost impossible for this film to fail at the box office or in the reviews given the actors' list alone. It featured the likes Leo, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Vera Farmiga, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Anthony Anderson, and oh so many more.
The film was a financial success, bringing in a near $300 million at the box office. The reviews were also stellar, IMDB gave the film an 8.5 stars out of 10, while it has a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Martin Scorsese did a tremendous job with the film, as it was a different theme, catering towards the thriller side of things.
It definitely left fans on the edge of their seats back in 2006 and to this day, its presence can still be felt as one of the top projects of Leo's storied career.