Leonardo DiCaprio
Actor · Film actor · Film producer
b. 1974 · Born in Los Angeles, California, United States · 3 min read
- Last verified: 12 November 2026
- Sources: 4
- Reviewed by Muse — Phase D second review (independent check)
American actor and producer who became a global star with Titanic and won the Academy Award for The Revenant; also a leading environmental activist and UN Messenger of Peace.
Early Life
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born on 11 November 1974 in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Irmelin Indenbirken, a legal secretary, and George DiCaprio, an underground comics writer, publisher and distributor. He grew up in Los Angeles and began acting as a child, appearing in television commercials in the late 1980s and in television series in the early 1990s, including the sitcom Growing Pains. His first major film roles came in 1993, in This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape, the latter earning him his first Academy Award nomination at the age of 19.
Career
DiCaprio began his career in the late 1980s appearing in television commercials, then took television roles before his film debut. He drew critical attention as a developmentally disabled boy in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), which brought his first Academy Award nomination, and became a global star as Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997). He went on to star in The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Blood Diamond (2006), Inception (2010), Django Unchained (2012), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). He finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Revenant (2015), playing the fur trapper Hugh Glass, and later starred in Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) and One Battle After Another (2025). In 2004 he founded the production company Appian Way Productions, which has produced several of his films and environmental documentaries including The 11th Hour (2007) and Before the Flood (2016). He has used his public profile for environmental advocacy, founding the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 and serving as a United Nations Messenger of Peace for climate change since 2014.
Achievements
DiCaprio has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor six times and won once, for The Revenant (2015). His nominations were for What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), The Aviator (2004), Blood Diamond (2006), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), The Revenant (2015) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019); he was also nominated as a producer when The Wolf of Wall Street was nominated for Best Picture. He has won a BAFTA Award and three Golden Globe Awards, and the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival for Romeo + Juliet (1996). Beyond acting, he founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 and was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, with a focus on climate change, in 2014.
Legacy
DiCaprio is one of the most prominent film actors of his generation, known for choosing demanding roles in biographical and period films and for long collaborations with directors such as Martin Scorsese. Titanic (1997) made him one of the most recognised actors in the world, and his later career has paired box-office success with critical recognition, culminating in the Academy Award for The Revenant. He is also one of the most visible celebrity advocates for environmental causes, having funded conservation work through his foundation since 1998 and addressed the United Nations on climate change.
Major Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Revenant (2015), after six nominations as an actor
- Won a BAFTA Award for Best Actor for The Revenant
- Won three Golden Globe Awards
- Won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival for Romeo + Juliet (1996)
- Received a Best Picture nomination as a producer of The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
- Founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 to support environmental causes
- Named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, with a focus on climate change, in 2014
Contributions
DiCaprio's contribution to film is a run of leading roles in major studio films from the 1990s to the 2020s, including Titanic, The Departed, Inception and The Revenant, and a production company, Appian Way Productions, that has backed several of his films. His contribution to environmental advocacy includes the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, founded in 1998, and his role as a United Nations Messenger of Peace for climate change.
Notable Works
- What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
- Titanic (1997)
- The Aviator (2004)
- The Departed (2006)
- Inception (2010)
- Django Unchained (2012)
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
- The Revenant (2015)
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
- Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Milestones
- 1989 — Began acting career in television commercials Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
- 1993 — Received his first Academy Award nomination for What's Eating Gilbert Grape Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1997 — Became a global star as Jack Dawson in Titanic Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1998 — Founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
- 2004 — Starred in The Aviator and founded the production company Appian Way Productions Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
- 2006 — Starred in The Departed and Blood Diamond Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 2010 — Starred in Inception Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 2013 — Starred in and produced The Wolf of Wall Street Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 2014 — Named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, with a focus on climate change Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
- 2016 — Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Revenant (2015 film) Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- 2019 — Starred in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 2023 — Starred in Killers of the Flower Moon Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 2025 — Starred in One Battle After Another Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Timeline
- 11 November 1974
Born Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio in Los Angeles, California, United States
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1989
Began acting career in television commercials
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia - 1993
Starred in This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape; received his first Academy Award nomination for the latter
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1997
Starred as Jack Dawson in Titanic
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1998
Founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, a non-profit devoted to environmental causes
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia - 2004
Starred in The Aviator; founded the production company Appian Way Productions
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia - 2013
Starred in and produced The Wolf of Wall Street, which was nominated for Best Picture
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 2014
Named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, with a focus on climate change
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia - 28 February 2016
Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Revenant (2015 film)
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - 2019
Starred in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 2023
Starred in Killers of the Flower Moon
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
In Their Words
“Climate change is real. It is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.” Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — 88th Academy Awards onstage speech transcript (oscars.org) — Accepting the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Revenant at the 88th Academy Awards, 28 February 2016.
Related Personalities
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Leonardo DiCaprio?
Leonardo DiCaprio (born 1974) is an American actor and film producer. He became a global star with Titanic (1997) and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Revenant (2015). He is also known for his environmental activism and his work as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.
Source: Encyclopaedia BritannicaFor which film did Leonardo DiCaprio win his Oscar?
He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Revenant (2015), in which he played the fur trapper Hugh Glass. He received the award at the ceremony on 28 February 2016, after six nominations as an actor.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesWhat was Leonardo DiCaprio's breakthrough role?
His breakthrough came with What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), which earned him his first Oscar nomination, followed by the global success of Titanic (1997), in which he played Jack Dawson.
Source: Encyclopaedia BritannicaWhat environmental work does Leonardo DiCaprio do?
In 1998 he founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, a non-profit devoted to environmental causes. In September 2014 the United Nations Secretary-General named him a United Nations Messenger of Peace with a focus on climate change, and he has produced and narrated environmental documentaries including The 11th Hour (2007) and Before the Flood (2016).
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; WikipediaHow many Academy Award nominations has Leonardo DiCaprio received?
Six nominations as an actor, with one win, for The Revenant (2015). He was also nominated as a producer when The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) was nominated for Best Picture.
Source: Encyclopaedia BritannicaSources & References
- Leonardo DiCaprio — Encyclopaedia Britannica — Encyclopaedia Britannica (accessed 12 November 2026)
- Leonardo DiCaprio — Wikipedia (cross-check) — Wikipedia (accessed 12 November 2026)
- 88th Oscars Onstage Speech Transcript: Actor in a Leading Role — Oscars.org — Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (accessed 12 November 2026)
- File:Leonardo Dicaprio Cannes 2019.jpg — Wikimedia Commons (portrait file page) — Wikimedia Commons (accessed 12 November 2026)
