How Leonardo DiCaprio ended up with his acting hero’s dream role: “Uncharted territory”
A wave of young actors emerged in the 1980s as Hollywood moved into a new era of commercialism, with the rise of blockbusters leading to a market that was becoming increasingly saturated with new kinds of films. One such genre that found an increase in popularity in the ‘80s and early ’90s was the coming-of-age film, and these new stars, like Leonardo DiCaprio, found themselves at home here, tackling complex characters grappling with the world around them.
DiCaprio is now one of the biggest stars in the industry, but there was no doubt that this wouldn’t be the case. When he started out, he made waves with his performance in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, playing the mentally disabled brother of Johnny Depp’s titular character. Both actors proved themselves to be future icons with their roles in the film, and soon, DiCaprio landed a job in another coming-of-age drama that would prove his ability to play nuanced characters.
The Basketball Diaries was released in 1995, with DiCaprio portraying the drug-addicted teenager Jim Carroll. Directed by Scott Kalvert, the movie wasn’t exactly a box-office triumph, but critics were undoubtedly impressed by the young actor’s promising performance. It kept his career momentum going, and in two short years, DiCaprio could be seen in two of his most iconic movies – Romeo + Juliet and Titanic.
When asked by an interviewer what playing Carroll was like, DiCaprio replied, “Uncharted territory.” It was still early into his career, and it seems as though he couldn’t believe he was actually being entrusted to bring such a complex role to life. In fact, one of his acting heroes had dreamed of playing the part, but tragedy led DiCaprio to the movie instead.
In a 1988 interview with MTV, Stand By Me star River Phoenix said, “I want to play Jim Carroll,” revealing that he even carried a copy of Carroll’s book of the same name around with him. He was interested in roles that would challenge him, as evidenced by My Own Private Idaho, and it’s not hard to picture Phoenix in the leading role if not DiCaprio.
However, the actor’s life was tragically cut short in 1993 when he overdosed outside of the Johnny Depp-owned club, The Viper Room. Phoenix had a promising career ahead of him, and he was an inspiration to many of his contemporaries, including DiCaprio.
In 1995, DiCaprio told MovieLine, “As far as his acting and as far as who he was as a person, I respected him a lot. I think I’m different from him, but I hope that I can somehow be thought of as someone who is unique and thoughtful, someone whose work will be respected.”
The Basketball Diaries was arguably a turning point in DiCaprio’s career, allowing him to become one of the biggest stars of the 1990s. While the film didn’t receive unanimous acclaim, it’s a fantastic example of DiCaprio’s early attempts at carving a space for himself under the bright lights of Hollywood. Phoenix might not have lived long enough to prosper alongside his contemporaries, but his influence can certainly be felt in DiCaprio’s performance.
