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. He is particularly recognized for his roles in biographical and period films. Throughout his career, he has received prestigious awards, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. DiCaprio's films have collectively grossed over $7.2 billion globally as of 2019. He has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actors.
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 Film
In 1989, the comedy film 'Parenthood' was released and it later became the basis for a series where Leonardo DiCaprio was cast.
1990: Roles in The Outsiders and Santa Barbara
In 1990, Leonardo DiCaprio began acting regularly on television, starting with a role in the pilot of 'The Outsiders' and one episode of the soap opera 'Santa Barbara', in which he played a teenage alcoholic.
1990: Recurring Role in Parenthood
In 1990, Leonardo DiCaprio secured a recurring role in the sitcom 'Parenthood', marking an early television appearance in his career.
1991: Recurring Role in Parenthood
In 1991, Leonardo DiCaprio continued his recurring role in the sitcom 'Parenthood', marking an early television appearance in his career.
1991: Film Debut in Critters 3
In 1991, Leonardo DiCaprio made his film debut in the low-budget horror sequel 'Critters 3'.
1992: Role in This Boy's Life
In 1992, Leonardo DiCaprio had a brief role in 'Poison Ivy' and was chosen by Robert De Niro to co-star in 'This Boy's Life'.
1993: Breakthrough Role in This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape
In 1993, Leonardo DiCaprio had his first major film part as author Tobias Wolff in 'This Boy's Life' and received critical acclaim and his first Academy Award nomination for his role in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape'.
1993: Role in What's Eating Gilbert Grape
In 1993, Leonardo DiCaprio played the developmentally disabled brother in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape', earning critical acclaim and his first Academy Award nomination.
1995: Directed in Total Eclipse
In 1995, Agnieszka Holland, who directed DiCaprio in Total Eclipse, praised him as "one of the most mature actors" she has worked with and "courageous" in his choice of roles.
1995: Roles in The Quick and the Dead, The Basketball Diaries, and Total Eclipse
In 1995, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in 'The Quick and the Dead', 'The Basketball Diaries', and 'Total Eclipse'.
1996: International Stardom with Romeo + Juliet
In 1996, Leonardo DiCaprio achieved international stardom for his role in 'Romeo + Juliet'.
1996: Roles in Romeo + Juliet and Marvin's Room
In 1996, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in 'Romeo + Juliet' and 'Marvin's Room', earning a Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival for 'Romeo + Juliet'.
1996: Starred in Romeo + Juliet
In 1996, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Romeo + Juliet, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
1997: Silver Bear for Best Actor
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio earned a Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival for his role in 'Romeo + Juliet'.
1997: Titanic's Release and Global Recognition
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio gained further recognition as 'Titanic' became the highest-grossing film at the time.
1997: Starred in Titanic
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Titanic, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
1997: Titanic is released
In 1997, Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, was released, becoming a blockbuster. Kate Winslet later suggested that she and DiCaprio work together again on a film adaptation of the 1961 novel Revolutionary Road.
1997: International Stardom with Titanic
Since his international stardom with Titanic in 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio admitted feeling nervous about starring in big-budget studio films because of their hype and marketing campaigns.
1998: Donated to a library in Los Feliz
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio and his mother donated $35,000 for a "Leonardo DiCaprio Computer Center" at a library in Los Feliz.
1998: Established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting environmental awareness.
1998: DiCaprio appears in Celebrity and The Man in the Iron Mask
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio had a role in Woody Allen's film Celebrity and played dual roles in The Man in the Iron Mask, which received mixed reviews but grossed $180 million.
1998: DiCaprio cast in American Psycho but leaves for The Beach
In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio was cast in American Psycho for $20 million but left due to disagreements with Oliver Stone, choosing to star in The Beach instead.
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: Starred in The Beach
In 2000, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the film The Beach. According to Caryn James, DiCaprio is unafraid of working with established directors on unconventional projects; taking such risks has led him to star in failed films like The Beach, but also his successful collaborations with Martin Scorsese.
2000: DiCaprio comments on Titanic fame
In 2000, Leonardo DiCaprio stated that he had no connection with his Titanic fame and did not expect to reach that level of popularity again, nor would he try to achieve it.
2000: The Beach receives negative reviews
In 2000, The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, received negative reviews despite earning almost three times its budget at the box office. DiCaprio was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor.
2001: Don's Plum premieres at the Berlin International Film Festival
In 2001, the film Don's Plum, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival but remains obscure due to DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire blocking its release in the US and Canada.
2002: Roles in Catch Me If You Can and Gangs of New York
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in 'Catch Me If You Can' and 'Gangs of New York', the latter marking his first collaboration with Martin Scorsese.
2002: DiCaprio stars in Catch Me If You Can
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Catch Me If You Can, directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing $355 million.
2002: DiCaprio stars in Gangs of New York
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York. DiCaprio's interest in the film helped secure financing, leading to a challenging production but ultimately a positive critical reception.
2004: DiCaprio founds Appian Way Productions and executive produces The Assassination of Richard Nixon
In 2004, Leonardo DiCaprio founded Appian Way Productions and executive-produced The Assassination of Richard Nixon, which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. He also reunited with Scorsese for The Aviator.
2004: Acclaim for The Aviator
In 2004, Leonardo DiCaprio received acclaim for his performance in the biopic 'The Aviator'.
2005: Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters
In 2005, Leonardo DiCaprio was named a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters for his contributions to the arts.
2006: Roles in Blood Diamond and The Departed
In 2006, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in 'Blood Diamond' and 'The Departed', both of which garnered him further acclaim.
2006: Starred in The Departed and Blood Diamond
In 2006, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in The Departed and Blood Diamond, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
2007: DiCaprio and Scorsese become interested in Shutter Island
In 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese became interested in the Shutter Island project, eventually leading to the 2010 film.
2007: Presented at Live Earth
In 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio presented at the American leg of Live Earth.
2007: DiCaprio produces Gardener of Eden and The 11th Hour
In 2007, Leonardo DiCaprio produced the comedy drama Gardener of Eden. He also produced, co-wrote, and narrated The 11th Hour, a documentary about the environment.
2008: Appian Way produced Farragut North
In 2008, Beau Willimon's play Farragut North was written. Appian Way produced the adaptation of the play, titled The Ides of March, in 2011.
2008: Appian Way Productions and Greensburg
In 2008, DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way Productions, produced the documentary series 'Greensburg'.
2008: DiCaprio and Winslet reunite in Revolutionary Road
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio collaborated with Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road, directed by Sam Mendes. The film explores a failing marriage in the 1950s.
2008: DiCaprio stars in Body of Lies and produces Greensburg
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Body of Lies, a spy film. His production company Appian Way also produced Planet Green's Greensburg, a show about rebuilding a town sustainably.
2008: Starring in Revolutionary Road
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the romantic drama 'Revolutionary Road'.
May 2009: Joined campaign to raise money for 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: DiCaprio produces Orphan
In 2009, Leonardo DiCaprio produced the psychological horror thriller film Orphan, which was a commercial success despite mixed reviews.
2010: Appian Way Productions and Greensburg
In 2010, DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way Productions, continued to produce the documentary series 'Greensburg'.
2010: Donated to relief efforts in Haiti
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio donated $1 million to relief efforts in Haiti after the earthquake.
2010: DiCaprio stars in Inception
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Christopher Nolan's Inception, a science-fiction film about entering the dreams of others. The film grossed $836 million worldwide, and DiCaprio earned $50 million from it.
2010: Starred in Shutter Island and Inception
In 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Shutter Island and Inception, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
2010: Greensburg series ends
In 2010, Planet Green's "Greensburg", executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, ended its three-season run. The series documented the sustainable rebuilding of Greensburg, Kansas, after a devastating tornado.
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: Starred in J. Edgar and Produced Red Riding Hood and The Ides of March
In 2011, Leonardo DiCaprio starred as J. Edgar Hoover in Clint Eastwood's biopic, J. Edgar, which focused on Hoover's career as an FBI director. Critics praised DiCaprio's performance, although the film received mixed reviews. Also in 2011, DiCaprio produced Catherine Hardwicke's romantic horror film Red Riding Hood, which had moderate box-office returns, and George Clooney's political drama The Ides of March.
2012: Starred in Django Unchained
In 2012, Leonardo DiCaprio starred as Calvin Candie in Quentin Tarantino's Spaghetti Western, Django Unchained. During filming, DiCaprio cut his hand on glass but continued acting, with Tarantino using the take in the final product. The film received critical acclaim, and DiCaprio earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
January 2013: Announced Acting Break and Starred in The Great Gatsby
In January 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio announced he would take a long break from acting. That year, he starred as Jay Gatsby in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel. The film received mixed reviews, but DiCaprio's performance was praised and earned him the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He also produced three films under Appian Way that year.
2013: National Board of Review Spotlight Award for Scorsese Collaborations
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese's collaborations earned them the National Board of Review (Spotlight Award), considered career-defining moments for both of them.
2013: Donated to the gay rights group GLAAD
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio donated $61,000 to the gay rights group GLAAD.
2013: Organized a 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: Starred in The Great Gatsby and The Wolf of Wall Street
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in The Great Gatsby and The Wolf of Wall Street, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
2013: Starring in The Wolf of Wall Street
In 2013, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the biopic 'The Wolf of Wall Street', a successful project by a high-profile director.
April 2014: Virunga Premiered at Tribeca Film Festival
In April 2014, the British documentary film Virunga, for which Leonardo DiCaprio was an executive producer, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
September 2014: Designated as a United Nations Messenger of Peace
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. Later that month, he made an opening statement to members of the UN Climate Summit; his speech reached an estimated one billion people worldwide.
2015: Announced his intention to divest from fossil fuels
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio announced his intention to divest from fossil fuels.
2015: Starred in and Produced The Revenant
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio produced and played Hugh Glass in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's survival drama The Revenant. The film received positive reviews, and DiCaprio earned numerous awards for his acting, including the Academy Award, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Golden Globe and SAG Award for Best Actor.
2015: Starred in The Revenant
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in The Revenant, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
2015: Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Virunga
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special for his work as an executive producer on Virunga.
2015: Academy Award for The Revenant
In 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the survival drama 'The Revenant'.
2015: Rolling Stone article calls Titanic his best role
In a 2015 Rolling Stone article, Ebiri stated that Leonardo DiCaprio's role in Titanic was his best, noting the genuine emotion between him and Winslet.
April 2016: Spoke at the UN prior to the signing of the 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: Foundation Donated to Protect Wildlife 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: Donated to the 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: Executive Producer for Documentaries
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 and produced the film Live by Night.
April 2017: Protested against President Donald Trump's inaction on climate change
In April 2017, Leonardo DiCaprio protested against President Donald Trump's inaction on climate change by attending the People's Climate March.
2017: Vox contributor praises DiCaprio's performance in Titanic
In 2017, Vox contributor Alissa Wilkinson viewed Titanic and praised Leonardo DiCaprio's "boyish charm" and "natural and unaffected" performance.
2017: Supported Hurricane Harvey relief efforts
In 2017, supporting Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, Leonardo DiCaprio provided $1 million through his foundation.
December 2018: The DiCaprio foundation donated $100 million to fight climate change
In December 2018, The Leonardo DiCaprio foundation donated $100 million to fight climate change.
2018: The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation funded over 200 projects
By 2018, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation had funded more than 200 projects, providing $100 million in support.
2018: Production Ventures: Delirium and Robin Hood
In 2018, Leonardo DiCaprio's production ventures included the psychological horror Delirium and the action-adventure Robin Hood, which was commercially unsuccessful.
2019: Starred in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In 2019, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
2019: Box Office Success
In 2019, Leonardo DiCaprio's films had grossed over $7.2 billion worldwide, solidifying his position as one of the highest-paid actors.
2019: Returned to Acting in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In 2019, after producing and narrating the documentary Ice on Fire, Leonardo DiCaprio returned to acting in Quentin Tarantino's comedy-drama Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, receiving nominations for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor.
2020: Executive Producer for The Right Stuff and Appeared in The Last Dance
In 2020, Leonardo DiCaprio served as an executive producer for The Right Stuff, a television series adaptation of the book. That May, DiCaprio briefly featured in the finale of the miniseries The Last Dance.
2020: Foundation Donated to Australia Bushfire Relief Efforts
In 2020, Leonardo DiCaprio's foundation donated $3 million to Australia bushfire relief efforts.
May 2021: Pledged funds to conservation operations across the Galápagos Islands
In May 2021, Leonardo DiCaprio pledged $43 million to enact conservation operations across the Galápagos Islands.
2021: Starred in Don't Look Up
In 2021, Leonardo DiCaprio appeared in Adam McKay's satirical comedy Don't Look Up, starring alongside Jennifer Lawrence. The film was seen as an analogy of the world's indifference to the climate crisis.
2022: Reported Donation to 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.
2023: Starred in Killers of the Flower Moon
In 2023, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Killers of the Flower Moon, which became one of his most critically and commercially successful films.
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