Behind-the-Scenes: Unbelievable Hocus Pocus Audition by Leonardo DiCaprio that Stole Director's Heart

Summary

Director Kenny Ortega had the chance to meet with Leonardo DiCaprio for a role in Hocus Pocus but couldn't cast him due to his commitment to other films.

Ortega was incredibly impressed by DiCaprio during their meeting, describing him as "exceptional and one-of-a-kind." Ultimately, however, Ortega decided to cast Omri Katz for the role as he felt that Katz exceeded all of his expectations.

The director of Hocus Pocus, Kenny Ortega, recently shared a memorable experience he had while casting for the film. During that time, he had the opportunity to meet with Leonardo DiCaprio, although he knew that DiCaprio couldn't take on the role of Max due to his prior commitments to other projects like This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape in 1993. Ortega remarked that he had a conversation with DiCaprio and they even shared a meal together. He was incredibly impressed by DiCaprio's talent and described him as "extraordinary and unique." Ortega expressed his frustration to the casting agents, acknowledging that it was a difficult decision not to cast DiCaprio.

Leonardo DiCaprio's Early Career Could Have Taken a Very Different Turn

My casting team contacted me and informed me that they were sending someone over, but I would not be able to cast him. They explained that they wanted me to meet him and get to know him, as he had agreed to come in for a meeting, but unfortunately, he had already been offered a role in a movie alongside Robert De Niro in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Despite his inability to take on the role, he came in and completely blew me away with his extraordinary and unique talent. He arrived feeling stressed and expressed his remorse for not being able to commit fully to the project, as he was focused on other commitments. I completely understood his situation. We even shared a sandwich together, and he turned out to be incredibly cool. After he left, I immediately called my casting agents and expressed my frustration. It was crystal clear to me that this individual possessed an undeniable special quality. However, when Omri auditioned, there was an indescribable factor that made him absolutely perfect for the role. To this day, I believe he delivered everything I could have hoped for in that part.

Several years after this encounter with Kenny Ortega, Leonardo DiCaprio would rise to become a true superstar. His roles in movies such as Gilbert Grape, The Basketball Diaries, and Romeo + Juliet would ultimately lead to his remarkable performance as the lead in the 1997 blockbuster, Titanic, which still stands as one of the highest-grossing films ever. Following that, he went on to star in acclaimed movies like Inception, Catch Me If You Can, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His exceptional talent has earned him six Oscar nominations for acting, ultimately winning one for his role in The Revenant.

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Had DiCaprio been given the chance to star in the disappointing film Hocus Pocus, it could have potentially altered the trajectory of his career. At the time, DiCaprio's career was headed in a direction that would have aligned well with a project like Hocus Pocus. He had already portrayed various child characters in family-friendly and children's programs such as The New Lassie, Roseanne, and Parenthood. In 1991, he ventured into the horror genre with the sequel Critters 3, which allowed him to gain valuable experience navigating different tones, something that would have been beneficial for Hocus Pocus. However, the failure of the film may have abruptly halted DiCaprio's career progression.

It appears that Katz himself may have experienced a similar situation, as his most recent involvement in a significant project was in a 2000 episode of General Hospital. It is hard to envision the movie causing any obstacles by the time of the Hocus Pocus 30th anniversary, considering it is now considered a widely embraced classic and has even received a sequel in 2022. Nevertheless, had he portrayed Max, DiCaprio might have retained a smaller, dedicated fan base instead of becoming the superstar he is today.