Name: Leonardo DiCaprio
Profession: Actor, Producer
Birth Date: November 11, 1974
Height: 6' 1"
Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born in Hollywood, Calif. His parents, George and Irmelin, divorced shortly after he was born. Adam Farrar is a step brother from his father's second marriage. DiCaprio attended John Marshall High School in Los Angeles and appeared in commercials by the age of 14.
DiCaprio made his television debut in 1990 with small roles on such shows as "Parenthood" and "Santa Barbara." A year later, he landed another bit part on "Roseanne," in addition to making his film debut in the horror movie "Critters 3: You Are What They Eat."
DiCaprio’s first notable role came in 1991 when he played a homeless boy for two seasons on the television sitcom "Growing Pains." His first career break came at age 19 when he beat out 400 young actors to land a lead role in the 1993 film "This Boy’s Life," in which he starred alongside Robert DeNiro and Ellen Barkin. That same year, he gained fame when appeared opposite Johnny Depp in "What’s Eating Gilbert Grape." Playing the role of Depp's younger, mentally challenged brother earned him Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. DiCaprio then continued to hone his craft in diverse films such as "The Quick and the Dead," "The Basketball Diaries," "Marvin's Room," and "Romeo + Juliet."
In 1997, DiCaprio catapulted to stardom in James Cameron's "Titanic." The movie grossed over $600 million and won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. However, DeCaprio wasn't nominated for his performance. All the hoopla and media attention caused DiCaprio to take a self-imposed two-year break from acting.
DiCaprio returned to the big screen in 2000 by starring in "The Beach," but The film was a box-office failure. In 2002, he had roles in Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" and "Catch Me If You Can" with Tom Hanks. He then reunited with Scorsese in 2004 to play Howard Hughes in "The Aviator." His performance earned him an Oscar nod for Best Actor.
DiCaprio would gain further notoriety for his acting in 2006. He played the role of an undercover cop in "The Departed," which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred in "Blood Diamond," a performance that led to Golden Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for Best Actor.
DiCaprio is an avid environmentalist. He established the Leonard DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 to study and fund his favorite environmental causes. He chaired 'Earth Day" in 2000 and has been known to drive a hybrid Toyota Prius. In 2007, he produced his own documentary film "11th Hour."
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