James Cameron warned Leonardo DiCaprio, “You’re going to read, or you’re not going to get the job,” after the actor declined to do so at the Titanic screen test.
Leonardo DiCaprio almost didn’t get the role of Jack in Titanic, according to director James Cameron, because he didn’t want to go to the audition. You’re going to read, or you’re not going to get the part, James allegedly informed Leonardo.
“I recall that Leo and I had a meeting. In a video interview with GQ magazine, the director of Avatar: The Way of Water discussed his filmmaking experience and added, “And then there was a screen test Leo.” “The meeting was amusing since, as you know, I’m waiting to meet an actor in my conference room. And when I turn to look, I notice that, for some reason, every single woman in the workplace is there in the meeting. For instance, the executive producer is a woman, OK, OK. Our accountant, though? What made her attend the meeting? Everyone was eager to see Leo. It was hilarious. I thought I already knew the answer to the question here as I looked about.
The Academy Award-winning director claimed that at their initial encounter, Leonardo “charmed everyone,” including him. The director wanted to assess how well he got along with the actor Kate Winslet, who at that point had already been cast as Rose, therefore the question concerning the screen test was crucial. He returned a few days later, and I had the camera set up to film the footage, according to James. “He had no idea he was going to take the test. He mistook it for a second meeting with Kate. I responded, “Okay, let’s just move on to the next room, run a few lines, and I’ll record it.”
Leonardo came to the conclusion that the reading was required at that point. “Stop, stop, stop. You mean that if I don’t read, I won’t understand the portion immediately “The performer enquired. James Cameron had then described the nature of the movie to the actor, “You’ll be away doing five other things while I spend two years on a massive movie that will consume all of my time while also requiring extensive model work. So I won’t screw it up. You’re going to read or you won’t get the part because I made the wrong casting choice, so do either one.”
James Cameron remembered how Leonardo DiCaprio “transformed into Jack and Kate just lighted up and they went into this entire thing and he did the moment,” which put all questions to rest when the director yelled action. An opening in the clouds allowed for the entry of a sunbeam that illuminated Jack. All right, he’s the one, I think.
Titanic would go on to have significant critical and financial success, winning eleven Oscars and surpassing all previous films in terms of box office revenue. With a $2.2 billion domestic box office haul, it is currently the third-highest-grossing film.
