The film 'Titanic' was a big risk for its cast and crew, but it paid off hundreds of times over. Well, it specifically paid millions to James Cameron, the director. But what was so appealing about the movie that it's withstood the test of time and renewed the public's interest in a historical tragedy?
For one thing, it featured a hunky Jack drawing Rose -- nude -- which set off a romance for the ages. But there's a catch: Jack didn't actually draw Rose in the film.
Did Leonardo DiCaprio Draw Rose In 'Titanic'?
The risque portrait of Rose in 'The Titanic' looks pretty authentic. Fans can watch the hand move across the page, sketching out a pretty impressive drawing of Kate Winslet. But it wasn't really Leonardo DiCaprio who created the piece of artwork.
It may have looked like he did, but Jack wasn't really writing at all. In fact, it was someone else's hand altogether in the footage.
As Business Insider revealed, there was yet another secret in the film, and it centers on whether Jack is right-handed or left-handed.
Who Really Drew The Portrait In 'Titanic'?
According to Business Insider's sources, Leonardo DiCaprio is a total junk artist. He can't draw, says the publication, so that sketch of his on-screen love interest would've turned out terribly had Leo actually put pencil to paper.
Instead of having their star lead do his best at a stick figure rendition of Rose, the crew of 'Titanic' took things into their own hands (pun somewhat intended).
The truth is, James Cameron himself sketched the portrait, and recorded himself doing so. Per Business Insider, the hand in the scene is James', and the director is a multi-talented mogul who is also an "accomplished illustrator."
One catch, though.
Leonardo is right-handed, and James is left-handed. So the studio used some advanced-at-the-time movie magic to mirror-image the hand doing its work. Then, they spliced the film together so that it looked like Jack was drawing Rose with his right hand when really it was James doing it with his left.
Talk about movie magic, right?
It's true that Celine Dion may have saved the film with her heart-stopping theme song, but James saved an important scene with his artistic talent. And though it was a bit of a secret all these years, everyone on set knew the truth.
Though the portrait itself was notorious because of its subject, the art itself was well-done, to the point where someone bid $16K for it at an auction, says ABC News.
Even a piece of paper and pencil dust from the set of 'Titanic' was expensive!