Leonardo DiCaprio is among the final true film stars we’ve got. To his credit score, he is pretty choosey together with his initiatives and makes use of his clout to work with auteurs — no superhero motion pictures for Leo! (It is recommendation that he handed on to Timothée Chalamet.) DiCaprio is now Martin Scorsese’s go-to main man (because of a advice from Robert De Niro), he is labored twice with Quentin Tarantino, and so on. But, in some way, 2025’s “One Battle After One other” was the primary time DiCaprio had labored with director Paul Thomas Anderson, a fellow Gen X cinema icon.
But, in one other timeline, DiCaprio and Anderson’s stars may’ve exploded collectively in 1997. In his commentary for “Boogie Nights,” Anderson revealed that DiCaprio was one among his main selections to play the movie’s protagonist: younger porn star Eddie Adams/”Dirk Diggler” (who was finally portrayed by Mark Wahlberg). PTA noticed DiCaprio and Wahlberg act collectively in 1995’s “The Basketball Diaries” and knew he wished one among them as his main man.
DiCaprio, although, was busy with one other venture — a bit image you will have heard of referred to as “Titanic.” In a 2025 dialog with Jennifer Lawrence (hosted by Selection), DiCaprio defined that the 2 motion pictures “type of overlapped in manufacturing.” “Possibly it may’ve labored out,” DiCaprio added wistfully, however on the time, he did not wish to danger that or unfold himself too skinny.
So, Anderson solid Wahlberg as Dirk, and the remainder is historical past. Now, it is not like DiCaprio bought a nasty deal; having to decide on between starring in “Boogie Nights” or “Titanic” is the definition of a very good drawback to have. Besides, DiCaprio has usually listed not starring in “Boogie Nights” as one among his best regrets.
Scheduling meant Leonardo DiCaprio had to decide on between Boogie Nights and Titanic
In August 2025, Esquire hosted a dialog between Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio (with PTA because the interviewer). When the director requested DiCaprio if he had any regrets, the actor cited “Boogie Nights”:
“It was a profound film of my technology. I can not think about anybody however Mark [Wahlberg] in it. Once I lastly bought to see that film, I simply thought it was a masterpiece. It is ironic that you are the particular person asking that query, but it surely’s true.”
“Why did it take us so lengthy?” PTA then requested. However the 28 years they waited to lastly group up allowed DiCaprio to age completely right into a a lot completely different character than Dirk Diggler (or heartthrob artist Jack Dawson in “Titanic,” for that matter). In “One Battle After One other,” DiCaprio performs Bob Ferguson, a former far left revolutionary who’s spent 20 years in hiding elevating his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti).
Bob is all the best way over the hill and spends most of his time smoking weed. Even when he is thrust again into motion to rescue Willa from Colonel Steven Lockjaw (Sean Penn), he is all the time one step behind. Bob’s funniest scene within the film is when he tries to name in assist from fellow revolutionaries, but he is shut down as a result of his stoned out mind forgot some key passphrases; DiCaprio performs Bob’s exasperation with first annoyance, then anger, after which lastly tears.
On the earth the place DiCaprio starred in “Boogie Nights” and one other actor up for the position of Jack (say, Ethan Hawke) appeared in “Titanic,” then working with PTA would not have been DiCaprio’s most burning want and we might’ve by no means gotten him as Bob. Now that DiCaprio has labored with PTA, I hope he can put his “Boogie Nights” regrets to mattress.
