Leonardo DiCaprio biography, girlfriend, Oscar, net worth, age, young 2025

Leonardo DiCaprio Biography

From bohemian child to Hollywood royalty, Leonardo DiCaprio has become the go-to star for Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, and Quentin Tarantino. He's an Oscar winner for Best Actor, a Golden Raspberry recipient for Worst Actor, a successful producer, and the ultimate heartthrob who's managed to stay Hollywood's most eligible bachelor.

Childhood and Family

Leonardo is the only child of Irmelin Indenbirken and George DiCaprio. The couple met as college students; she later worked as a court secretary while he became a comic book distributor and artist, contributing to what some experts call the "comic book revolution of the 60s."

Even before birth, the future star was already showing his artistic side. He began kicking in his mother's womb as she admired the works of Leonardo da Vinci in Florence's Uffizi Gallery. George took it as a sign from his unborn son that he should be named Leonardo! Therefore, when the boy was born on November 11, 1974, in Los Angeles, he was named Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio.

The actor's ancestry includes Italian, German, and Russian roots. His maternal grandmother, Yelizaveta Smirnova, fled with her parents to Germany as a young girl in the aftermath of the revolution. She assimilated into German society, changed her name to Helene, married a German man, and took the surname Indenbirken, but never forgot her native language. Leonardo's mother was born in 1943, during the height of World War II, on the floor of a bomb shelter. The Indenbirken family never supported the Nazi atrocities, and in 1955, as soon as they could, they emigrated to New York.

Leonardo DiCaprio's grandmother (center) was born in the Russian Empire

Leonardo's parents divorced when he was a year old. George moved to East Hollywood. Leo lived with his father and his new girlfriend Peggy Farrar—who had a son, Adam, from a previous marriage—and sometimes with his mother. He preferred his father's house, with its bohemian atmosphere and regular visits from artists and cultural figures like Matt Groening and Timothy Leary.

His mother drove him to a prestigious elementary school at the university, spending four hours a day on the road. He then spent four years at a school for gifted children, but found it difficult to focus on academic subjects.

Whether it was the fiery mix of Italian blood from his father's side and German and Russian from his mother's, or his early appearance on a children's TV show at 2.5 years old, by 14, he knew for certain he wanted to be an actor.

His last school was John Marshall High School. Despite his parents' early divorce, Leonardo always felt supported by his father, a comic book artist. Both parents encouraged and nurtured their son's creative nature, supporting his early interest in acting.

When Leonardo was 11, his grandparents returned to Germany. He stayed close to them, often visiting his beloved grandmother until her death in 2008. It was Elena who introduced Leo to Dostoevsky's works and explained that drama was a lens through which human character is reflected.

'I loved imitating people... I enjoyed making jokes with my parents and creating different characters,' the actor recalls of his childhood.

Leonardo has openly talked about growing up in poverty: "Our family was poor, truly poor." At the same time, he is grateful to his parents for teaching him to be content with little, not to worry about where clothes or food came from because what matters is having something to wear and not going hungry. They also taught him not to indulge in self-pity, to focus on his goals and pursue them step by step. That's why DiCaprio bristles at suggestions that he "just got lucky by being in the right place—meaning born in Hollywood."

Childhood Roles

Leonardo DiCaprio's acting career started when he was very young. At five, he was invited to join the preschool TV show Romper Room, which had been on air since the early 50s. But before he could get comfortable on set, he was kicked off the show for bad behavior.

Leonardo DiCaprio in Romper Room

Years later, when his older stepbrother Adam Farrar, three years older, started appearing in commercials and quickly became in high demand, 13-year-old Leonardo was inspired by his example and begged his parents to take him to auditions too.

Leonardo DiCaprio and his older stepbrother Adam

The first commercial featuring a young Leonardo DiCaprio was for Matchbox toy cars. The young actor got to play a gangster. "What did I learn from my first shoot? 'Know your lines by heart.' I was just terribly nervous and forgot everything," he said later. Then came commercials for Apple Jacks oat cereal, Kraft Singles cheese, Bubble Yum gum, Fred Meyer hypermarkets, and Honda and Suzuki cars.

Young Leonardo DiCaprio in a Bubble Yum commercial

As often happens, the blonde-haired boy with the angelic face quickly caught the attention of TV casting directors, and by the early '90s, he was regularly working on television shows. He appeared in "Santa Barbara," "The New Lassie," and the comedy series "Parenthood."

A still from the series 'The New Lassie'

In 1991, the young actor's career really took off. First, it was a role in the series "Growing Pains," and the opportunity to work with Kirk Cameron and Alan Thicke. That same year, he made his debut in the low-budget but popular horror-comedy "Critters 3." This was followed by a cameo in the teen drama "Poison Ivy" with Drew Barrymore and Sara Gilbert.

Two years later, Leo got the chance to show off his dramatic chops. In the film "This Boy's Life," he played his first dramatic role as a teenager caught in a difficult family situation, with the legendary Robert De Niro playing the malevolent stepfather. His on-screen friend was future "Spider-Man" Tobey Maguire. Since then, he and Tobey have remained friends.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in the film 'This Boy's Life'

Breakthrough

Following his critically acclaimed performance in "This Boy's Life," DiCaprio landed his breakthrough role in 1993's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" alongside Johnny Depp. Though nearly 20, Leonardo played a mentally challenged teenager so convincingly that he earned his first Oscar nomination.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?'

DiCaprio kept choosing compelling projects. He starred in the 1995 drama "The Basketball Diaries." He then joined Russell Crowe, Sharon Stone, and Gene Hackman in the Western "The Quick and the Dead." In the film "Romeo + Juliet" (1996), he co-starred with Claire Danes. Baz Luhrmann's modern take on Shakespeare's immortal tragedy proved both touching and commercially successful, earning $147 million worldwide.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the film 'Romeo + Juliet'

DiCaprio became a global superstar in 1997 with another tragic love story, this time opposite Kate Winslet in "Titanic." The film shattered records: 11 Oscar wins, a then-astronomical $200 million budget, over $1.5 billion worldwide, and Leo became the heartthrob of millions.

Titanic – My Heart Will Go On

James Cameron's casting proved perfect. The film's massive success proved Leonardo could master traditional Hollywood leading man roles. He became a global celebrity and was named by the American magazine "People" as one of the 50 most beautiful people in 1997-1998.

Career Blossoming

After "Titanic," DiCaprio hit a rough patch, with "The Man in the Iron Mask" (1998) and "The Beach" (2000) bombing both at the box office and with critics. Not even the powerhouse trio of Jeremy Irons, Gérard Depardieu, and John Malkovich could rescue "The Man in the Iron Mask." But Leo quickly bounced back.

Leonardo DiCaprio talks TV commercials, Titanic fame, The Beach & more

He proved his acting chops in two standout films. In 2002, he starred in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can" opposite Tom Hanks and in "Gangs of New York." The latter became the first of many projects in which the actor would work with Hollywood legend, director Martin Scorsese.

Leonardo DiCaprio with Tom Hanks in 'Catch Me If You Can'

In "The Aviator" (2004), DiCaprio tackled the role of one of America's most legendary businessmen. Cate Blanchett played his love interest. In 2006, he starred in two iconic films: "Blood Diamond" and "The Departed." In the latter, he formed a brilliant acting trio with Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson.

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Aviator Interview) Charlie Rose 2005

In 2008, Leonardo reunited with Kate Winslet in "Revolutionary Road," a tense drama about a couple living in the mid-20th century and facing personal issues. Then in 2010, he dove into a mind-bending future in Christopher Nolan's "Inception," where technology lets you invade other people's dreams and subconscious minds.

Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie 'Inception'

That same year, DiCaprio starred in the thriller "Shutter Island" with Mark Ruffalo.

Leonardo DiCaprio in the thriller 'Shutter Island'

"J. Edgar" – a drama directed by Clint Eastwood in 2011, featured DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover, who led the FBI for nearly 50 years. The actor found the preparatory work difficult because the film was autobiographical and many witnesses to the events were still alive.

In 2013, Leonardo teamed up with Quentin Tarantino on "Django Unchained," starring alongside Kerry Washington, Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz.

Leonardo DiCaprio in the film 'Django Unchained'

Also in 2013, he reunited with Scorsese for the drama "The Wolf of Wall Street," based on the memoirs of Jordan Belfort, a notorious financial scammer who defrauded investors in the 1990s. The film later sparked legal issues with Belfort's former assistant. Andrew Greene filed a defamation lawsuit claiming his former boss's portrayal showed him "as a criminal, drug addict, debauched and devoid of any morals."

Who's the Boss? - The Wolf Of Wall Street

At the end of 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in Alejandro González Iñárritu's film, playing frontiersman Hugh Glass, forced to survive the brutal conditions of a harsh winter in the early 19th century Wild West. Betrayed and left for dead in the snow, Glass crawled 300 kilometers and repeatedly faced death before reaching the fort and confronting his would-be killer.

According to Leonardo, the most challenging part of filming was the silence. For three-quarters of the screen time, he's alone (not counting the bear, which his character ultimately defeats with his bare hands).

...I need to become one with nature, to have a silent conversation with the snow, the trees, the animals, the moon in the sky. It's incredibly hard.

The moral pressure was compounded by terrible physical pain. But "The Revenant" director is a man of principle who despises green screens. Another director might have taken pity on the actor and allowed digitally added snow, but not Iñárritu. Day after day of filming, DiCaprio worked in freezing cold conditions. His hands, feet, ears, and cheeks went numb.

On screen, Leonardo eats real bison liver. The horse carcass he slept in is also real, and he truly climbed inside it.

Leonardo received an Oscar for "The Revenant." In 2016, after 4 nominations, he finally won the highest accolade for acting excellence. In his acceptance speech, he spoke about climate change and the real threat that humanity poses to the planet.

Leonardo DiCaprio winning Best Actor (2016)

In 2018, Quentin Tarantino assembled an impressive cast for the crime drama "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." In 2019, audiences witnessed the stunning duo of DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. Leonardo plays western star Rick Dalton, possibly modeled after Burt Reynolds, caught between Old and New Hollywood.

On the set of 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'

Dalton realizes he's past his prime—he's aged out of playing handsome cowboys, and audiences have lost interest in repetitive westerns. It's an era of bold new directors who speak directly to audiences: Roman Polanski, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen. All Dalton has left is an idle lifestyle with stuntman Cliff Booth and hopes for a contract to shoot a movie in Italy.

A still from 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'

Particularly memorable was DiCaprio's on-set monologue, where he tells a young actress (Julia Butters) the story of a disabled horse wrangler, along with scenes from the western where he's no longer the hero but the villain—a role he plays brilliantly, despite realizing he's unlikely to land another leading man part in any major project.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Rick Dalton going mad in Trailer

In 2021, DiCaprio played one of the main roles in the satirical comedy "Don't Look Up." He plays an astronomer whose student (Jennifer Lawrence) discovers a comet heading straight for Earth. Their calculations show the planet and all life will be wiped out. The professor and student try to warn politicians and the public, but everyone's more interested in the latest pop star breakup, while others simply refuse to look up.

The timely film scored four Oscar nominations and earned rave reviews from critics. As a passionate environmentalist, DiCaprio observed that people stubbornly ignore issues that could lead to humanity's extinction.

'Don't Look Up' is 'an analogy of contemporary culture and our inability to hear and heed scientific truth.'

In 2022, Leonardo ranked third among Hollywood's highest-paid actors, earning that spot with a $30 million payday for the thriller "Killers of the Flower Moon," where he starred opposite Robert De Niro.

Environmental Advocate

Leonardo DiCaprio consistently puts environmental issues in the spotlight. He founded the non-profit Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and serves as its primary backer, donating over $30 million to conservation projects across 40 countries.

In 2007, he released the documentary "The 11th Hour" and helped produce "Before the Flood" in 2016—both tackling climate change. The United Nations appointed him as a Messenger of Peace in 2014 for his contributions to environmental preservation.

Leonardo DiCaprio accuses oil companies of greed

Leonardo owns a small Caribbean island he purchased in 2008 and is now working to restore coastline damaged by fishing activities. He's developing a futuristic resort that will be completely eco-friendly.

In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio bought an island in the Caribbean

DiCaprio also invests in Love The Wild, a company promoting sustainable aquaculture.

The actor maintains an Instagram account, but unlike most celebrities, he never posts personal photos. Every post serves as a call to action for his 36+ million followers to protect our planet and its creatures.

Leonardo DiCaprio's Personal Life

Leo is already a mature man, but he has never been married. His personal life can best be described as "still playing the field."

Early in his career, the heartthrob cycled through girlfriends: he dated Claire Danes in 1996, was with Kristen Zang from 1996 to 1997, and was with Demi Moore from 1997 to 2002.

His relationship with Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen was his longest yet, spanning from 1999 to 2005. Their six-year romance ended when Gisele's struggles with panic attacks became too much, leaving DiCaprio to continue his bachelor ways.

In 2006, he met Israeli model Bar Refaeli. The couple dated for 3 years and seemed marriage-bound, but ultimately called it quits in 2011. He then had a short-lived romance with actress Blake Lively.

Gisele was only 6 years younger than Leo, Bar was 11 years his junior. Now he's dating women half his age, with girlfriends rotating through at a rapid pace. A clear pattern has emerged in Leo's dating life – tall, leggy blonde models. German model Toni Garrn sparked marriage rumors in 2014, followed by actress-model Kelly Rohrbach in 2016.

In the summer of 2018, paparazzi spotted him vacationing in Italy with Al Pacino's stepdaughter, actress Camila Morrone, known for starring opposite Bruce Willis in "Death Wish" to critical acclaim. His relationship with Camila lasted until 2022. Sources say Morrone initiated the split, frustrated that Leonardo expected her to settle down and sideline her career ambitions.

After that, the actor had a romance with model Gigi Hadid, and he was seen in the company of models Megan Rossee, Neelam Gill, Josie Redmond, Maya Jama, and Victoria Lamas.

All the girlfriends in the Leonardo DiCaprio «under 25 club» as he dumps Camila Morrone

Leonardo DiCaprio does not have children. Back in 2010, he said he was ready for fatherhood, but apparently hasn't found the right woman to start a family with.

Leonardo DiCaprio Now

The crime drama "Killers of the Flower Moon" starring DiCaprio premiered in May 2023. While the film scored 10 Oscar nominations, DiCaprio wasn't among them. For his role as Ernest Burkhart, the actor was nominated for a Golden Globe, but the award went to Cillian Murphy for his role in Nolan's "Oppenheimer".

Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone talk Killers of the Flower Moon

Leonardo DiCaprio: latest news and articles

Why This 0% Rated Film Is Still Considered the Biggest Flop in Leonardo DiCaprio's Career

17 Jun 2025

Still regrets it: Why Will Smith turned down Christopher Nolan's most famous film

16 Jun 2025

Martin Scorsese has teamed up with Leonardo DiCaprio to create a crime thriller

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`It was incredible`: This actor amazed Leonardo DiCaprio on the set of `Once Upon a Time in Hollywood`

15 Mar 2025

William Rivera

Well, Leonardo already got his Oscar :) In the movie The Great Gatsby, he played very coolly!

2021-04-19 21:35:33
Natalie Martin

Despite DiCaprio`s pretty appearance, as an actor he is amazing! Although, I never hear something bad about him.

2021-04-18 22:32:13
Wanda Schultz

I remember how excited I was about Shutter Island! For me, it`s his strongest role.

2021-03-15 16:57:57
Joseph Williams

This actor finally got his distinguished Oscar, they needed to give him a long time ago already.

2021-02-24 16:21:19
Linda Adams

DiCaprio is in the hearts of many girls from the release of Titanic :)

2021-02-24 11:48:26

Photos: Leonardo DiCaprio