Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most beloved and celebrated actors in the business. Since the nineties, he has been captivating audiences and lighting up the screen in almost every film he is in. No matter what genre or character he is playing, it is a given that DiCaprio will pour one hundred percent of himself into the project.
DiCaprio has received the highest praise for his work including an Academy Award, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, a SAG award, and dozens of nominations for every honor in the world of film. Throughout his career which has spanned over thirty years and the nearly fifty films he has worked on, there is no shortage of brilliant performances from the celebrated actor. From What's Eating Gilbert Grape to Adam McKay's Netflix disaster-comedy Don't Look Up, DiCaprio has cemented his legacy in the history of cinema.
It seems as though every actor and director wants to work with him because he is the ultimate professional when it comes to his craft. Each performance gets better than the next, and audiences are always excited to see what the actor will bring to the next role he plays.
Updated on August 4th, 2023 by Gargi Chatterjee: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
15 Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood hit theaters in 2019 and comes from the mind of genius director Quentin Tarantino. The movie follows Rick Dalton (Dicaprio) a formerly successful actor who finds himself out of his prime and deals with working in Hollywood during a period of transition where he no longer recognizes himself.
Dicaprio stars alongside Brad Pitt, who took home the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for playing Cliff Dalton, and Margot Robbie who played the late Sharon Tate. The film explores Hollywood in the year 1969 and is a real love letter to the industry while also featuring some of Tarantino's flair for alternative history stories.
14 Don't Look Up (2021)
As mentioned earlier, Don't Look Up is a 2021 black comedy, disaster movie, and political satire movie. Other than DiCaprio, the movie also stars other heavy hitters like Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, and Timothee Chalamet.
The movie tells us the story of two astronomers who are trying to warn humanity about an unknown comet that is earthbound and could destroy the planet. The movie is a hilarious satire that is available to watch on Netflix. Leonardo DiCaprio is also great in the role of Dr. Randall Mindy, one of the two astronomers who try to warn everybody about the comet.
13 Shutter Island (2010)
Shutter Island is the fourth collaboration between DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese. While this film was snubbed at the Oscars, earning zero nominations despite being wholly deserving, it is a truly entertaining and mind-bending adventure.
The movie is based on an incredible screenplay and features great acting and directing. DiCaprio has brilliant and comedic scenes alongside Mark Ruffalo that become highlights of the film, though it's mostly remembered for its unforgettable twist ending that completely turns the movie and its performances on their head.
12 Revolutionary Road (2008)
Without a doubt, the best part of this film is the brilliant acting and relationship between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Revolutionary Road is a romance/drama directed by Sam Mendes and is an adaptation of the book of the same name.
This movie was the first project DiCaprio and Winslet worked on together since Titanic back in 1997, and it proves that their on-screen chemistry is just as strong as it was back then. Set in the 50s, Revolutionary Road follows the breakdown of a seemingly idyllic marriage that allowed both actors to shine.
11 The Great Gatsby (2013)
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 classic novel of the same name The Great Gatsby is a historical romantic drama that stars DiCaprio as the protagonist Jay Gatsby. The movie's other main character is Nick Carraway, played by Tobey Maguire who writes down the story of Jay Gatsby for his doctor seven years after the events have taken place.
The narrator tells the audience how he met Gatsby and how that experience changed both his and Gatsby's lives. If you are a fan of movies based on old classics, then this movie is just for you. DiCaprio's performance in The Great Gatsby was standout and perfectly elevated by the rich direction of Baz Luhrmann.
10 Inception (2010)
Inception is a real fan-favorite from director Christopher Nolan that follows Dom Cobb (DiCaprio). He's a man who, through advanced technology, is able to enter people's minds and find out their secrets by searching through their subconscious.
This is an incredibly original plot from Nolan who not only directed the film but wrote the film's screenplay. DiCaprio stars alongside Elliot Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, and Marion Cotillard in a mind-bending story that explored multiple dream worlds while grounding the story on the love a man had for his family.
9 The Revenant (2015)
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Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in The Revenant was a monumental one for his career, as it earned him his first Academy Award for Best Actor after being nominated four times. The film is based on the true story of Hugh Glass and his dangerous exploration of the uncharted wilderness in 1823.
Alejandro González Iñárritu is the innovative director behind the Western/adventure film and is one of the most intriguing filmmakers in Hollywood right now. The Revenant allowed Leonardo DiCaprio to shed his usual image and focus on delivering a great and emotional performance that ultimately earned him his desired reward.
8 What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
The protagonist of the 1993 coming-of-age drama What's Eating Gilbert Grape is Gilbert Grape, who was not played by DiCaprio but by Johnny Depp. This movie is also based on a novel of the same name by Peter Hedges. In this movie, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the role of Arnie Grape, who is Gilbert's intellectually disabled younger brother.
Gilbert is a 25-year-old man who works as a grocery store clerk and has to take care of not only his brother but also his sick mother. The movie is really emotional, especially because of the love that the two brothers have for each other. Even though he is not the main character of the movie, DiCaprio gave one of the best performances of his career in the role of Armie Grape.
7 The Aviator (2004)
The Aviator is the beautiful and sad journey of Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), the moviemaker, businessman, engineer, and pilot. The film is another DiCaprio and Scorsese collaboration that exceeds all expectations in terms of set design, acting, and storytelling.
DiCaprio stars alongside Cate Blanchett who plays one of Hollywood's most beloved actresses, Katharine Hepburn, and earned herself the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in the film.
6 Django Unchained (2012)
Django Unchained is another hit from director Quentin Tarantino. It is completely unlike anything Leonardo DiCaprio has ever been a part of, mainly because of how different this character is compared to the ones he's used to portraying. Calvin Candie is the racist and evil plantation owner who serves as the main antagonist in Django Unchained.
This is considered to be one of DiCaprio's best performances despite the fact that it is the first supporting role he's played in a film since What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Other great performances are given by Jamie Foxx, Christopher Waltz, and Samuel L. Jackson throughout the film.
5 Blood Diamond (2006)
Set during the civil war of Sierra Leone which lasted from 1991-2002, Blood Diamond is a movie about a pink diamond that a miner named Solomon Vandy finds and then buries to keep safe. When word of the diamond gets out, a smuggler named Danny Archer arranges for the diamond to be smuggled and for him and Vandy to be freed from any detention.
But things do not go as planned when they try to finally smuggle the diamond. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the role of Danny Archer, and even though the movie has a sad ending, everyone was moved by his performance. This political thriller is great for any action movie fan who wants to see DiCaprio in his element.
4 The Departed (2006)
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The Departed is a 2006 crime/drama directed by Martin Scorsese that takes place in Boston and follows a young cop, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio). He goes undercover to investigate the crimes of a gang leader, Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson).
Meanwhile, one of Costello's young followers Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) infiltrates the police department. The movie is filled with great acting and a suspenseful crime-filled plot. The film won Martin Scorsese his highly anticipated first Academy Award for Best Director, as well as taking home Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.
3 Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Frank Abagnale Jr. who claimed to have committed cons worth millions of dollars by assuming different identities before his 19th birthday, the movie Catch Me If You Can is one of DiCaprio's most famous works.
DiCaprio plays Frank, a teenager who turned to a life of conning after learning various ways of scamming people from his father in his childhood. Tom Hanks also stars in the movie in the role of FBI Agent Carl Hanratty, who tries to catch Frank. His character is based on Joseph Shea, a real-life FBI agent. The movie is an enormous cat-and-mouse chase and has a very satisfactory ending. If you love a good detective movie with a con artist in the center, this movie will be a treat for you.
2 The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
This next film is by far DiCaprio's most wild, outrageous, and brilliant performance to date. The Wolf of Wall Street follows the frenetic life of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), the ridiculously successful stockbroker who earned millions a month.
He partied more than he could ever imagine and committed major fraud. DiCaprio was nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of Jordan Belfort and some say his loss is one of the biggest snubs in Oscar history.
1 Titanic (1997)
Titanic is a masterpiece and everything from the costuming, acting, directing, set design, score, and cinematography is truly brilliant and serves as the epitome of good storytelling. Director James Cameron's passion for the real Titanic drove his mission to represent the ship as authentically as he possibly could.
Cameron made sure the costumes were made from real material worn during the time period, had the props made by the actual companies who manufactured furniture on the Titanic, and even went as far as traveling to the bottom of the Atlantic to capture footage of the real Titanic. This movie and its story are one of a kind and due to James Cameron's passion and Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet's chemistry, the film became an instant classic.