John C. Reilly says he once tried to persuade Leonardo DiCaprio to turn down James Cameron’s Titanic so he could take a role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. Reilly describes meeting DiCaprio on the set of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? in 1993, when DiCaprio was 17, and recounts that he believed he could help secure DiCaprio for the lead part of Dirk Diggler. Before filming began, Reilly said he told DiCaprio that Titanic’s story would not draw attention because “everyone knows the boat sinks,” arguing that the film’s premise would limit interest in the people aboard. He also said he believed Cameron and Anderson represented major opportunities for DiCaprio’s career. Reilly adds that DiCaprio was hesitant, saying his agents had assured him Titanic was becoming “a really big movie.” Reilly maintains he advised DiCaprio against the project and suggested the role would better serve his trajectory. DiCaprio ultimately did star in Titanic, while Boogie Nights went ahead without him.
John C. Reilly Says He Tried to Persuade Leonardo DiCaprio to Skip Titanic
John C. Reilly says he once tried to persuade Leonardo DiCaprio to turn down James Cameron’s Titanic so he could take a role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. Reilly describes meeting DiCaprio...
- John C. Reilly says he met Leonardo DiCaprio when DiCaprio was about 17, on the set of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993).
- Reilly says he tried to convince DiCaprio to take the lead role of Dirk Diggler in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights.
- Reilly claims DiCaprio declined because he had already agreed to star in Titanic.
- Reilly tells the story that he argued Titanic would not matter because “everyone knows the boat sinks.”
- Both accounts come from Reilly’s appearance on Ted Danson’s Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast.
John C Reilly at last year's GQ Men Of The Year ceremonyJohn C Reilly has admitted he once tried to give Leonardo DiCaprio some advice that would have changed the course of the young actor’s career.The pair met on the set of the 1993 coming-of-age drama What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, with John going on to collaborate with Paul Thomas Anderson on his movie Boogie Nights.Before filming got underway, the future Oscar-winning director had hoped to snag Leo for the lead role of Dirk Diggler, after watching him in The Basketball Diaries.However, the Romeo & Juliet actor had to turn the offer down as he’d already agreed to appear in a little-known indie film you may or may not have heard of… known as Titanic.During an appearance on Ted Danson’s podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name, John recalled: “I knew Leo. I met him when he was 17. And I was like, ‘Give me the assignment, Paul. I’ll get this guy to do your movie. I’ve known him since he’s a kid’.”Leonardo DiCaprioHe continued: “I was like, ‘Listen, Leo, let me tell you something. That movie Titanic is about a boat that sinks. Everyone knows the boat sinks. No one’s going to give a shit about who’s on the boat’.“I was like, ’This guy, this director, is going to be one of the most talented film directors going forward, and you should not miss this opportunity.”Apparently, Leo wasn’t sure on this as his agents had assured him Titanic was about to become “a really big movie”, to which the Step Brothers star replied: “I’m telling you, man. I’m telling you, I wouldn’t give you a bum steer here. It’s about a boat that sinks.”John C Reilly and Mark Wahlberg in Boogie NightsOf course, as we all know now, Leo eventually turned down Boogie Nights, recommending his former co-star Mark Wahlberg for the role instead, although he once claimed that not doing the film was his “biggest regret”.All’s well that ends well, though – and he did finally get to work with Paul Thomas Anderson on 2025’s One Battle After Another, which was awarded Best Picture at this year’s Oscars.Listen to John C Reilly’s full interview on Where Everybody Knows Your Name here.MORE FILM NEWS:Already Excited For The Odyssey? Everything We Know About The Christopher Nolan EpicIdris Elba Weighs In On Possibility Of A Black Actor Playing James BondMartin Scorsese Accused Of 'Throwing' Artists 'Under The Bus' With AI Announcement
2 months agoLeonardo DiCaprio’s turn in James Cameron’s Titanic, which catapulted the then-22-year-old film star to bona fide heartthrob status as the sweeping romance drama broke box office records, almost didn’t happen — if John C. Reilly had it his way. The Oscar-nominated character actor recently popped by Ted Danson’s Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast for […]
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