Career Timeline of Leonardo DiCaprio: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Leonardo DiCaprio made an impact.
Leonardo DiCaprio is a highly acclaimed American actor and film producer celebrated for his roles in biographical and period films. He has received numerous awards, including an Academy Award and multiple Golden Globe Awards. DiCaprio's films have grossed over $7 billion globally, establishing him as one of the highest-paid actors in the world. He's known for his dedication to his craft and impactful performances, solidifying his status as a major figure in the entertainment industry.
1929: Reference to 1929 film
In 1998, while DiCaprio starred in the film The Man in the Iron Mask, it was mentioned that there were common elements from the 1929 film with Douglas Fairbanks.
1939: Reference to 1939 film
In 1998, while DiCaprio starred in the film The Man in the Iron Mask, it was mentioned that there were common elements from the 1939 film with the same name.
1961: Revolutionary Road novel
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet collaborated on a film adaptation of the 1961 eponymous novel Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.
1974: Political features reference
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio considered the film Body of Lies to be a throwback to political features of the 1970s like The Parallax View (1974).
1975: Political features reference
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio considered the film Body of Lies to be a throwback to political features of the 1970s like Three Days of the Condor (1975).
1989: Role in The New Lassie
In 1989, Leonardo DiCaprio played the role of Glen in two episodes of the television show The New Lassie.
1989: Parenthood series based on comedy film
In 1989, Leonardo DiCaprio was cast in Parenthood, a series based on the 1989 comedy film. To prepare for the role of Garry Buckman, a troubled teen, he analyzed Joaquin Phoenix's performance in the original film.
1990: Recurring role in Parenthood and The Outsiders
In 1990, Leonardo DiCaprio had a recurring role in the sitcom Parenthood (1990–1991) and appeared in the pilot of The Outsiders.
1990: Role in The Outsiders pilot and Santa Barbara
In 1990, Leonardo DiCaprio played a role in the pilot of The Outsiders and in one episode of the soap opera Santa Barbara, where he played an alcoholic teenager.
1991: First Major Film Part and Growing Pains
In 1991, Leonardo DiCaprio had his first major film part as Tobias Wolff in This Boy's Life, appeared in Critters 3 and became a recurring cast member on the sitcom Growing Pains, playing Luke Brower.
1991: Film debut in Critters 3 and Growing Pains
In 1991, Leonardo DiCaprio made his film debut in Critters 3 and became a recurring cast member on the sitcom Growing Pains.
1992: Role in Poison Ivy and This Boy's Life
In 1992, Leonardo DiCaprio had a brief role in the first installment of the Poison Ivy film series, and co-starred with Robert De Niro in This Boy's Life.
1993: What's Eating Gilbert Grape
In 1993, Leonardo DiCaprio played the developmentally disabled brother of Johnny Depp's character in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. He earned a National Board of Review Award, as well as nominations for a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
1993: Critical Acclaim for What's Eating Gilbert Grape
In 1993, Leonardo DiCaprio received critical acclaim and his first Academy Award nomination for playing a developmentally disabled boy in What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
1995: Total Eclipse Release
In 1995, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in "Total Eclipse". According to Agnieszka Holland, who directed DiCaprio in the movie, DiCaprio is one of the most mature and courageous actors she has worked with.
1995: Roles in The Quick and the Dead, The Basketball Diaries, and Total Eclipse
In 1995, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Sam Raimi's Western The Quick and the Dead, the biopic The Basketball Diaries, and the erotic drama Total Eclipse.
1996: International Stardom with Romeo + Juliet
In 1996, Leonardo DiCaprio achieved international stardom with the star-crossed romance Romeo + Juliet.
1996: Romeo + Juliet and Marvin's Room
In 1996, Leonardo DiCaprio starred opposite Claire Danes in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet and portrayed a young man in a mental asylum in Marvin's Room.
1996: Release of Romeo + Juliet
In 1996, the film "Romeo + Juliet" was released, which became one of Leonardo DiCaprio's critically and commercially successful films.
1996: 'The Beach' Novel
In 1996, the novel 'The Beach' by Alex Garland was published, which DiCaprio's film 'The Beach' (2000) was adapted from.
1997: International Stardom with Titanic
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio achieved international stardom with the release of "Titanic". He has since expressed feeling nervous about starring in big-budget studio films due to their hype and marketing campaigns.
1997: Titanic's Release
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Titanic, which became the highest-grossing film in the world at the time.
1997: Silver Bear for Romeo + Juliet at Berlin International Film Festival
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio won a Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival for his performance in Romeo + Juliet.
1997: Release of Titanic
In 1997, the film "Titanic" was released, becoming one of Leonardo DiCaprio's most critically and commercially successful films.
1998: Donation for Computer Center
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio and his mother donated $35,000 for a "Leonardo DiCaprio Computer Center" at a library in Los Feliz.
1998: Establishment of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting environmental awareness.
1998: Role in 'Celebrity' and 'The Man in the Iron Mask'
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio played a role in Woody Allen's "Celebrity" and took on the dual roles of King Louis XIV and Philippe in "The Man in the Iron Mask".
1998: Cast in American Psycho, leaves for The Beach
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio was cast in "American Psycho" but left the project due to disagreements and instead took the lead role in "The Beach".
2000: Release of 'The Beach'
In 2000, "The Beach", starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was released and earned almost three times its budget at the box office, but was negatively reviewed and earned DiCaprio a Razzie nomination. DiCaprio played a backpacking American tourist who ends up in a secret island commune in the Gulf of Thailand.
2000: Chaired the National Earth Day Celebration
In 2000, Leonardo DiCaprio chaired the national Earth Day celebration where he interviewed Bill Clinton and they discussed plans to deal with global warming and the environment.
2000: Dissociation from 'Titanic' fame
In 2000, Leonardo DiCaprio expressed his disconnect from the fame surrounding "Titanic" and his intention to choose roles that align with his personal artistic voice, stating that he would never reach that level of popularity again and had no intention of trying to.
2000: The Beach Release and Earth Day Celebration
In 2000, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the film "The Beach", which was not very successful. Also in 2000, he chaired the national Earth Day celebration where he interviewed Bill Clinton about global warming and the environment.
2001: 'Don's Plum' Premiere
In 2001, the film "Don's Plum," featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, though its release was blocked in the US and Canada.
2002: Roles in Catch Me If You Can and Gangs of New York
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio sought roles in other genres, including the crime dramas Catch Me If You Can and Gangs of New York.
2002: Release of 'Gangs of New York'
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York," a historical drama set in the 19th century. His involvement helped secure financing for the project. The film received positive critical response, but DiCaprio's performance was felt overshadowed by Daniel Day-Lewis.
2002: Catch Me If You Can and Star Wars rejection
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio turned down the role of Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones". Also in 2002, he starred in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can", receiving critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination.
2003: Shutter Island novel
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the movie 'Shutter Island', based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane.
2004: Founding of Appian Way Productions and 'The Aviator'
In 2004, Leonardo DiCaprio founded Appian Way Productions and executive-produced "The Assassination of Richard Nixon". He also starred in and co-produced "The Aviator" with Martin Scorsese, earning his first Golden Globe Award.
2004: The Aviator
In 2004, Leonardo DiCaprio gained acclaim for his performance in the biopic The Aviator.
2006: Blood Diamond and The Departed
In 2006, Leonardo DiCaprio gained acclaim for his performances in the political thriller Blood Diamond and the crime drama The Departed.
2006: Release of 'The Departed' and 'Blood Diamond'
In 2006, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the crime film "The Departed" and the political war thriller "Blood Diamond". For "The Departed", DiCaprio gained 15 pounds of muscle and visited Boston to interact with people associated with the Irish Mob. Despite being a leading role, Warner Bros. Pictures submitted him for a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the AMPAS to avoid conflict with his part in Blood Diamond.
2007: Shutter Island collaboration
In 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese became interested in the Shutter Island project.
2007: Presentation at Live Earth
In 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio presented at the American leg of Live Earth.
2007: Production work
In 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio produced the comedy drama "Gardener of Eden". Later that year, he produced, co-wrote and narrated "The 11th Hour", a documentary on the state of the natural environment that won the Earthwatch Environmental Film Award in 2008.
2008: Greensburg documentary series
From 2008 to 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way Productions, made the documentary series Greensburg.
2008: Greensburg and Body of Lies
In 2008, DiCaprio's Appian Way produced Planet Green's Greensburg (2008–2010), and he starred in "Body of Lies", a spy film. For "Body of Lies", DiCaprio dyed his hair brown and wore brown contacts. Greensburg is set in Greensburg, Kansas, and is about rebuilding the town in a sustainable way after being hit by the 2007 Greensburg tornado.
2008: Revolutionary Road
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio collaborated with Kate Winslet in "Revolutionary Road", directed by her then-husband Sam Mendes. DiCaprio earned his seventh Golden Globes nomination for the film.
2008: Included on Forbes' List of Highest-Paid Actors
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio was included on Forbes' annual list of the world's highest-paid actors with earnings of $45 million.
May 2009: Campaign to Support Millvina Dean
In May 2009, Leonardo DiCaprio joined Kate Winslet, director James Cameron and Canadian singer Celine Dion, in a campaign to raise money to financially support the fees of the nursing home where Millvina Dean, a survivor of the RMS Titanic, was residing. DiCaprio and Winslet donated $20,000 to support Dean.
2009: Produces Orphan
In 2009, Leonardo DiCaprio produced director Jaume Collet-Serra's psychological horror thriller film Orphan.
2010: Greensburg documentary series
From 2008 to 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way Productions, made the documentary series Greensburg.
2010: Greensburg running
In 2010, DiCaprio's Appian Way continued to produce Planet Green's Greensburg, which ran for three seasons, after starting in 2008.
2010: Donation to Haiti Earthquake Relief
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio donated $1 million to relief efforts in Haiti after the earthquake.
2010: Inception Release
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Christopher Nolan's science-fiction film "Inception", earning $50 million from the film, becoming his highest payday yet. The film features Dom Cobb (DiCaprio), an "extractor" who enters the dreams of others to obtain information that is otherwise inaccessible.
2010: Shutter Island
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Martin Scorsese's psychological thriller film Shutter Island. He played Edward "Teddy" Daniels, a U.S. Marshal investigating a psychiatric facility located on an island, who comes to question his own sanity. Because of the film's disturbing scenes, DiCaprio had nightmares of mass murder during production and considered relaxing with his friends a form of therapy.
2010: Releases of Shutter Island and Inception
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the releases of both "Shutter Island" and "Inception", both of which were commercially and critically successful.
2010: Inception and Shutter Island
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the thrillers Inception and Shutter Island.
2010: Included on Forbes' List of Highest-Paid Actors
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio was included on Forbes' annual list of the world's highest-paid actors with earnings of $28 million.
2011: Joined the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Campaign
In 2011, Leonardo DiCaprio joined the Animal Legal Defense Fund's campaign to release Tony, a tiger that had spent the last decade at a truck stop in Grosse Tête, Louisiana.
2011: Starring in J. Edgar and Producing Other Films
In 2011, Leonardo DiCaprio starred as J. Edgar Hoover in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, a biopic focusing on Hoover's career as FBI director and his private life. Critics praised DiCaprio's performance but found the film lacking overall. Also in 2011, he produced Catherine Hardwicke's Red Riding Hood and George Clooney's The Ides of March through his Appian Way production company.
2011: Topping Forbes' List of Highest-Paid Actors
In 2011, Leonardo DiCaprio topped Forbes' annual list of the world's highest-paid actors with earnings of $77 million.
2012: Release of Django Unchained
In 2012, "Django Unchained" was released, marking another critically and commercially successful film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
January 2013: Taking a Break and Starring in The Great Gatsby
In January 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio announced he would take a long break from acting to focus on environmental causes. Also in 2013, he starred as Jay Gatsby in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, which received mixed reviews, although DiCaprio's performance was praised.
December 2013: Co-founded the Venturi Racing Team
In December 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio became a co-founder of the Venturi Racing team alongside Monegasque businessman Gildo Pallanca Pastor.
2013: National Board of Review Spotlight Award and 11th Hour Auction
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese earned the National Board of Review Spotlight Award for their collaborations. Also, in 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio organized a benefit fine art auction, "11th Hour", which raised nearly $38.8 million for his foundation.
2013: Donation to GLAAD
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio donated $61,000 to the gay rights group GLAAD.
2013: Benefit Fine Art Auction
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio organized a benefit fine art auction, "11th Hour", which raised nearly $38.8 million for his foundation.
2013: Releases of The Great Gatsby and The Wolf of Wall Street
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the releases of both "The Great Gatsby" and "The Wolf of Wall Street", both of which were commercially and critically successful.
April 2014: Premiere of Virunga at Tribeca Film Festival
In April 2014, the documentary Virunga, on which Leonardo DiCaprio was an executive producer, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film focuses on efforts to protect mountain gorillas. DiCaprio was later nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on the film.
September 2014: United Nations Messenger of Peace Designation
In September 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon designated Leonardo DiCaprio as a United Nations Messenger of Peace with a focus on climate change. He also made an opening statement to members of the UN Climate Summit, which reached an estimated one billion people worldwide.
2014: Venturi Racing Debut
In 2014, Venturi Racing, co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio, made their debut in the inaugural Formula E Championship.
October 2015: Named Chairman of Formula E Sustainability Committee
In October 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio was named as the chairman of the Formula E Sustainability Committee by then-Formula E chief executive officer Alejandro Agag.
2015: Intention to Divest from Fossil Fuels
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio announced his intention to divest from fossil fuels.
2015: Starring in The Revenant
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio produced and starred as Hugh Glass in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's survival drama The Revenant. The role was physically demanding, requiring him to eat raw bison liver and sleep in animal carcasses. The film received positive reviews, and DiCaprio won numerous awards, including an Academy Award, for his performance.
2015: Academy Award for The Revenant
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the survival drama The Revenant.
2015: Titanic role called DiCaprio's best
In a 2015 Rolling Stone article, Ebiri stated that the Titanic role was DiCaprio's best, writing that he and Winslet "infuse their earnest back-and-forth with so much genuine emotion that it's hard not to get swept up in their doomed love affair".
April 2016: Speech at the UN Prior to Paris Climate Change Agreement
In April 2016, Leonardo DiCaprio spoke at the UN prior to the signing of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
July 2016: Donation to Wildlife Protection and Native American Rights
In July 2016, Leonardo DiCaprio's foundation donated $15.6 million to help protect wildlife and the rights of Native Americans, along with mitigating climate change.
2016: Donation to Children of Armenia Fund
In 2016, Leonardo DiCaprio donated $65,000 to the annual fundraising gala for the Children of Armenia Fund, where he was a special guest of his friend and honorary chair, Tony Shafrazi.
2016: Producing Documentaries and Live by Night
In 2016, Leonardo DiCaprio was an executive producer for The Ivory Game and Catching the Sun. He also produced, hosted, and narrated the documentary Before the Flood about climate change. Additionally, he produced the crime drama Live by Night, which received negative reviews and failed to recoup its budget.
April 2017: Protest at the People's Climate March
In April 2017, Leonardo DiCaprio protested against President Donald Trump's inaction on climate change by attending the People's Climate March.
2017: Endorsement of "The Promise" and Donation of Gifts
In 2017, Leonardo DiCaprio endorsed the film "The Promise," which is about the Armenian genocide. Also in 2017, DiCaprio turned over gifts, including an Oscar trophy won by Marlon Brando, a $3.2 million Pablo Picasso painting, and a $9 million Jean-Michel Basquiat collage, to the U.S. government related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal involving Red Granite Pictures.
2017: Description of DiCaprio's 'boyish charm'
In 2017, Vox contributor Alissa Wilkinson described DiCaprio's "boyish charm" and found his performance in Titanic "natural and unaffected".
2017: And We Go Green Formula E Championship Filming
Leonardo Dicaprio produced the feature-length documentary And We Go Green, which followed the events of the 2017-18 Formula E Championship
2017: Donation to Hurricane Harvey Relief
Supporting Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, Leonardo DiCaprio provided $1 million through his foundation in 2017.
December 2018: Donation to Fight Climate Change
In December 2018, The Leonardo DiCaprio foundation donated $100 million to fight climate change.
2018: Drove a Spark-Renault SRT01-e car
Ahead of the 2018 Marrakesh ePrix, Leonardo DiCaprio drove one of the Spark-Renault SRT01-e cars used in the series around the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan.
2018: Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Funding
By 2018, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation had funded more than 200 projects, providing $100 million in support.
2018: Producing Delirium and Robin Hood
In 2018, Leonardo DiCaprio produced the psychological horror film Delirium and the action-adventure film Robin Hood. Robin Hood was a commercial failure.
2018: 'Catch Me If You Can' called DiCaprio's best role
In 2018, two Entertainment Weekly critics called DiCaprio's performance in 'Catch Me If You Can' his best role.
May 2019: Release of 'And We Go Green' Documentary
In May 2019, Leonardo DiCaprio produced the feature-length documentary 'And We Go Green', which followed the events of the 2017–18 Formula E Championship.
2019: Listed as one of the 100 most powerful people in entertainment
From 2016 to 2019, The Hollywood Reporter listed Leonardo DiCaprio as one of the 100 most powerful people in entertainment.
2019: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In 2019, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the comedy-drama Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
2019: Venturi Racing's First Victory
In 2019, Venturi Racing recorded their first race victory with driver Edoardo Mortara at the Hong Kong ePrix.
2019: Return to Acting in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In 2019, after a four-year break, Leonardo DiCaprio returned to acting in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, portraying Rick Dalton, an aging television actor. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and received positive reviews for DiCaprio's and Pitt's performances. DiCaprio received nominations for several awards for his role.
2020: Executive Producer for The Right Stuff and Appearance in The Last Dance
In 2020, Leonardo DiCaprio served as an executive producer for The Right Stuff, a television series adaptation of the 1973 book, released on Disney+. He also briefly appeared in the finale of the miniseries The Last Dance.
2020: Donation to Australia Bushfire Relief
In 2020, Leonardo DiCaprio's foundation donated $3 million to Australia bushfire relief efforts.
May 2021: Pledge to Conservation Operations Across the Galápagos Islands
In May 2021, Leonardo DiCaprio pledged $43 million to enact conservation operations across the Galápagos Islands.
2021: Starring in Don't Look Up
In 2021, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Adam McKay's satirical comedy Don't Look Up, alongside Jennifer Lawrence, as two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an extinction-level comet. The film broke the record for the most views in a single week in Netflix history, and DiCaprio earned nominations for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award.
2021: Venturi Racing Best Championship Finish
In 2021, Venturi Racing recorded a best championship finish of second place in the Formula E World Championship.
2022: Donation to Support Ukraine
Amidst the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the media announced Leonardo DiCaprio donated $10 million to support Ukraine, although the news agency Associated Press suggested this amount was inaccurate.
2022: Venturi Racing Takeover
In 2022, Venturi Racing was taken over by Stellantis and became Maserati MSG Racing ahead of the 2022–23 season.
2023: Starring in Killers of the Flower Moon
In 2023, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Martin Scorsese's crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, based on the book by David Grann. He initially signed for the role of FBI agent but insisted on playing the morally complex role of murderer Ernest Burkhart. He received another Golden Globe nomination for his performance.
December 2025: Cast in Heat Sequel
In December 2025, Leonardo DiCaprio confirmed he has been cast in an undisclosed role in Michael Mann's planned sequel to the 1995 film Heat.
2025: Regret over rejecting 'Boogie Nights'
In 2025, Leonardo DiCaprio expressed regret over declining a role in "Boogie Nights", acknowledging it as "a profound movie of my generation".
2025: One Battle After Another
In 2025, Leonardo DiCaprio is expected to star in the action film One Battle After Another.
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