In a moment of repose at the Four Seasons Hotel, Leonardo DiCaprio, after a day filled with photos and interviews, reaches for an e-cigarette and apologizes, signaling his longing for a break. As he relaxes, admiring the setting Los Angeles sun, the actor offers a simple tribute, exclaiming, "Wow, that’s gorgeous."
The cinematic quality of the handsome actor against the backdrop of the sunset and the egalitarian nature of one of the biggest stars in the world being moved by a simple act of nature becomes apparent. Despite his recent portrayals of larger-than-life characters in films like "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "The Great Gatsby," DiCaprio emanates a remarkable down-to-earth demeanor.
Reflecting on his early days as a pre-teen appearing in commercials, DiCaprio, now 39, shares, “When I started acting, I didn’t think of it as a career. I always thought Hollywood was this magical world where a fairy came down and said, ‘Come live with the Munchkins; you are now one of us.’" He laughs, adding, “I didn’t understand the concept of it as a career. I thought I would save up enough money to go to college.”
DiCaprio's upbringing included challenges; his parents divorced when he was a year old, and he primarily lived with his mother, Irmelin, in an area humorously referred to as “Prostitution Alley,” near Western Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. Recounting his early experiences, he notes, “I saw all the moral decay you could, beginning at 2 years old. But I also got to see how the other half lived.”
This exposure came through a scholarship to University Elementary School, a magnet program of UCLA, in the affluent Westwood section of Los Angeles. DiCaprio's mother would drive him 45 minutes to school and back every day. He emphasizes, “I could see that this other world was out there. And if I could only get my shot, I would never waste the opportunity. That mentality and that gratitude are still in me.”
