Leonardo DiCaprio reveals the only film of his that he ever watches

Leonardo DiCaprio has been in the industry for many decades, honing his chops through a versatile body of work. Whether the early-career projects like What's Eating Gilbert Grape and The Basketball Diaries, or the string of collaborations with Martin Scorsese, DiCaprio has proven his vast dramatic range, laced with his wit and charisma.

Yet, despite starring in all these impressive projects, the actor rarely watches any of his films. He got candid about it during his interview for Esquire magazine, conducted by his latest collaborator, acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. In this conversation, DiCaprio also shared the only film of his that he ever watches.

"I rarely watch any of my films, but if I’m being honest, there’s one that I have watched more than others. It’s The Aviator. That’s simply because it was such a special moment to me," the actor said,

He further spoke about why the 2004 film holds a special place in his heart.

"It was the first time as an actor that I got to feel implicitly part of the production, rather than just an actor hired to play a role. I felt responsible in a whole new way. I’ve always felt proud and connected to that film as such a key part of my growing up in this industry and taking on a role of a real collaborator for the first time," he added.

Leonardo DiCaprio calls it his regret not to have accepted the role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights

88th Annual Academy Awards - Red Carpet - Source: Getty

Leonardo DiCaprio headlines Paul Thomas Anderson's upcoming film, One Battle After Another, about a revolutionary trying to build a healthy relationship with his teenage daughter. It's the first project the two would be working on together. However, they might have collaborated years ago on Anderson's 1997 comedy-drama, Boogie Nights.

The film was a cultural touchstone of sorts in the 1990s, as it explored the inner workings of the p*rn industry through the eyes of an ordinary dishwasher who ends up being one of the rising stars. It offered Mark Wahlberg a chance to flesh out the character's innocent frustrations through its kaleidoscopic lens.

The same year, Leonardo DiCaprio starred in James Cameron's Titanic, still considered one of his career-defining films. The star looks back at the time and wonders what it would have been like to lead Anderson's classic film.

"My biggest regret is not doing Boogie Nights. It was a profound movie of my generation. I can’t imagine anyone but Mark [Wahlberg] in it. When I finally got to see that movie, I just thought it was a masterpiece. It’s ironic that you’re the person asking that question, but it’s true," DiCaprio said.

Despite that potential regret, the actor seems pleased to be working with the director behind films like There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, and Punch Drunk Love, to name a few. In line with this, Leonardo DiCaprio said,

"I’ve been wanting to work with you—Paul—for something like twenty years now, and I loved this idea of the washed-up revolutionary trying to erase his past and disappear and try and live some sort of normal life raising his daughter."

Anderson's latest movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a father to Willa (Chase Infinity) and a former partner to Perfidia (Teyana Taylor). Despite its overarching political themes, the film, at its core, is about a father-daughter connection, despite an intergenerational divide.

"It’s about the disconnection between generations. It’s about how this daughter and father relate to one another, and that we are living in a completely different world than the next generation. We think we understand it, but we don’t. This is how they communicate," the actor said.