Iconic Trio Unveiled: De Niro Convinces Scorsese to Cast DiCaprio Nearly a Decade Ahead!
De Niro's foresight led to the remarkable collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio, as he saw something special in the young actor
Summary
De Niro convinced Scorsese to cast DiCaprio in Gangs of New York, showcasing their longstanding collaboration and mutual respect.
De Niro collaborated with DiCaprio in the film "This Boy's Life" and recommended that Scorsese should at least meet DiCaprio.
The mentorship relationship between Scorsese and DiCaprio has played a pivotal role in DiCaprio's success, with Scorsese propelling his career forward and resulting in numerous collaborative ventures.
Robert De Niro suggested to Martin Scorsese that Leonardo DiCaprio be cast in Gangs of New York. Their longstanding collaboration dates back to Mean Streets in 1973. However, DiCaprio became part of Scorsese's work much later, taking on the lead role in 2002's Gangs of New York. The trio will reunite once again in their upcoming project, Killers of the Flower Moon, where De Niro also has a role.
During an interview with GQ, Scorsese revealed that it was De Niro who played a crucial role in convincing him to cast DiCaprio in Gangs of New York. Having previously worked with a young DiCaprio in This Boy's Life (1993), De Niro reached out to Scorsese and emphasized that he should collaborate with DiCaprio at some point.
De Niro took the request from Scorsese seriously and engaged in discussions with DiCaprio, leading to their collaboration in Gangs of New York. According to Scorsese, De Niro and he had known each other since they were 16 years old, and their shared experiences growing up influenced their decision to work together. De Niro was impressed with DiCaprio's talent after collaborating on This Boy's Life, as recommended by DiCaprio himself.
And Bob never used to explicitly mention the idea of collaborating with someone. Instead, we would simply move from one project to another, working together. When Leonardo DiCaprio showed interest in our films, we took the opportunity and decided to finally make Gangs of New York, a project we had attempted several times before only for it to be canceled. We thought it would be worth at least meeting DiCaprio, considering his admiration for our work. He was enthusiastic about doing whatever it took to bring that film to life. And so, it all began with him transitioning from his success in Titanic and a couple of other films.
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio Maintained a Working Relationship
DiCaprio emerged as a fresh face in the film industry with his appearance in This Boy's Life in 1993. Sharing the screen with the iconic De Niro, this role marked a significant milestone in the young actor's career. Subsequently, DiCaprio delivered a breakout performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. It is plausible that Scorsese became aware of DiCaprio through De Niro's commendation, considering their intrinsic connection in Scorsese's works such as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull. Therefore, Scorsese's respect for De Niro's judgement is understandable.
De Niro's assessment of DiCaprio proved to be accurate in the end. DiCaprio's portrayal of Jack in Titanic had already cemented his status as a movie star, and Gangs of New York only further solidified his position in the A-list. His successful portrayal in Gangs of New York paved the way for him to collaborate with Scorsese on six more films, including The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, the short film The Audition, and the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon.
By the time Gangs of New York was released, Scorsese was an established filmmaker who played a pivotal role in advancing DiCaprio's career. While De Niro and Scorsese had a mutual working relationship, Scorsese served as a mentor to the young and emerging talent of DiCaprio. This mentorship has played a crucial part in DiCaprio's career, as evidenced by his six Oscar nominations, including his performances in The Aviator and The Wolf of Wall Street. Now, De Niro and DiCaprio, both of whom are regular collaborators with Scorsese, will once again reunite for Killers of the Flower Moon.
Source: GQ
