Titanic Turns 49: Surprising Facts About Leonardo DiCaprio’s Iconic Role

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rise to Stardom

In the mid-1990s, Leonardo DiCaprio soared to fame, notably with the 1996 adaptation of Romeo + Juliet and the following year’s blockbuster, Titanic. The latter marked a turning point in his career, propelling him to Hollywood royalty alongside co-star Kate Winslet.

Reluctance to Read: Leo’s Almost Missed Opportunity

In a surprising revelation, Titanic’s director, James Cameron, shared that Leonardo DiCaprio nearly missed out on the iconic role due to his initial reluctance to read lines during auditions.

The screen test almost didn’t happen, leading to a pivotal moment where Leo’s decision to read or not would determine his fate in the massive two-year project.

Inadvertent Drugging Incident on Set

During the filming of Titanic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, an unexpected incident occurred on August 9, 1996. Crew members unwittingly consumed Phencyclidine (PCP) in spiked clam chowder, causing a chaotic scene.

Those affected were rushed to Dartmouth General Hospital, and the identity of the culprit behind the drugging was never uncovered.

Unscripted Nude Scene Blunder

One of the film’s most memorable scenes, where Rose utters the famous line “Paint me like one of your French girls,” took an unexpected turn. Leonardo DiCaprio’s follow-up line, “Lie on that bed – uh, I mean couch,” was not in the script but became an iconic moment.

Director James Cameron chose to keep this unscripted blunder in the final cut, adding to the film’s authenticity.

Titanic’s Real-Time Reflection

Director James Cameron meticulously timed the film’s duration, without modern-day edits and final credits, to coincide with the real sinking time of the Titanic in 1912. The film’s runtime of two hours and 40 minutes mirrors the exact duration it took for the vessel to submerge.

Cameron’s attention to detail extended to the collision with the iceberg, which matched the real-time length of 37 seconds.

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