Leonardo DiCaprio‘s rise began not on the big screen, but in television commercials. With early ads for Matchbox cars, Kraft Singles, and more, he soon transitioned to recurring roles—most notably in Parenthood (1990–1991)—before landing his breakout role as Luke Brower on Growing Pains from 1991 to 1992. His critically acclaimed turn in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and raw performance in The Basketball Diaries cemented his reputation as a serious actor, while his turn as Romeo in Romeo + Juliet made him a global heartthrob. He followed that with Catch Me If You Can, playing a charming con man hopping between careers.
In the last decade or so, DiCaprio gravitated toward more weighty, complex roles. His fruitful partnership with Martin Scorsese produced landmarks like Gangs of New York, The Aviator, and The Departed. And with movies like Inception and Shutter Island, he continued to challenge himself—and viewers
In a recent Esquire interview with director Paul Thomas Anderson, DiCaprio, 50, said when asked how old he feels, “Thirty-two,” and later joked that he “turned emotionally 35 last year.” Reflecting on aging, he explained, “You have a desire to just be more honest and not waste your time. You have to just be much more upfront. It’s almost a responsibility because much more of your life is behind you than it is ahead of you.”
Scroll through to see pics of Leo through the years!