"My biggest regret is not doing Boogie Nights": Leonardo DiCaprio opens up about turning down a role in the 1997 hit

According to the latest reports, Oscar-winning star Leonardo DiCaprio recently opened up about a role in the 1997 classic Boogie Nights, which he turned down due to scheduling issues. The late 90s hit comedy-drama starred Mark Wahlberg and Julianne Moore in lead roles, with Paul Thomas Anderson at the helm of the project.

Anderson has also directed the upcoming action thriller One Battle After Another, where DiCaprio will play the lead role, and a recent interview has brought to light the 50-year-old star's "biggest regret." According to his latest statement to Esquire, Leonardo reportedly mentioned:

"I’ll say it even though you’re here: My biggest regret is not doing Boogie Nights. It was a profound movie of my generation."

Leonardo DiCaprio turned down a Boogie Nights role as it clashed with his shooting schedule of Titanic

Leonardo DiCaprio finally breaks silence around one of his biggest roles that never happened in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights. In one of his latest interviews with Anderson on behalf of Esquire, the Titanic star commented that he still regrets having let the part go.

He further spoke highly of Mark Wahlberg (who played the iconic role of Eddie Adams aka Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights), saying that the movie could never be imagined without him — one of the main reasons why "it was a masterpiece." To quote DiCaprio's exact words, per Esquire:

"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."

The Academy Award winner went on to say that he felt Paul asking him the question about Boogie Nights was rather "ironic." Per Esquire, DiCaprio also shared his feelings about wanting to work with the Boogie Nights director "for something like twenty years now" and that it did not take him long to consider his One Battle After Another role.

As he mentioned in the interview with Esquire:

"But ultimately, wanting to do this movie was pretty simple: 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."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leonardo had to drop the opportunity of working with Paul for Boogie Nights as James Cameron's Titanic had him on board at that time, and the two schedules unfortunately clashed. However, in his recent statement, he did not fail to recognize the genius input of Mark Wahlberg, whose prowess took the drama film to a whole level of success.

Who was in the cast of Boogie Nights?

Golden Globe nominee Burt Reynolds led the cast of Boogie Nights, playing the part of Jack Horner, an adult film director and producer. Mark Wahlberg was cast as a young aspiring actor who ends up in the infamous chain of adult and porn movies. Though he initially gets to enjoy a life of glamour and money (Jack scouts him from the industry), with time it only ends up in trouble.

Here's a list of the other cast members:

Julianne Moore as Maggie aka Amber Waves, a senior porn star with a tumultous family life - also a romantic interest of Jack
John C. Reily as Reed Rothchild, an adult film actor who is portrayed as a helpful and kind person
Don Cheadle (known for his role as War Machine in Iron Man) as Buck Swope
Heather Graham as Brandy, also going by the name Rollergirl, a young porn actress
Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Scott J., a young crew member of Jack who is attracted to Dirk

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Edited by Ritika Pal

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"My biggest regret is not doing Boogie Nights": Leonardo DiCaprio opens up about turning down a role in the 1997 hit

Leonardo DiCaprio turned down a Boogie Nights role as it clashed with his shooting schedule of Titanic

Who was in the cast of Boogie Nights?

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