Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t take John C. Reilly’s advice again after he tried to keep the veteran actor from starring in ‘Titanic,’ the blockbuster that made him one of the world’s biggest movie stars. Since then, the story has become a cautionary tale of second-guessing blockbuster instincts in Hollywood circles.According to RadarOnline.com, DiCaprio, 51, was still an emerging talent in the mid-1990s when he found himself choosing between two projects that would become defining films of the era.
How John C. Reilly tried to get DiCaprio away from ‘Titanic’
Having already signed on for 1993’s ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’, DiCaprio was chosen to star in James Cameron’s ‘Titanic’. But Reilly, 61, admitted he pushed DiCaprio to ditch the future classic and star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Boogie Nights’, saying ‘Titanic’ was pointless and audiences already knew how the film would end.Reilly revealed that Anderson desperately wanted DiCaprio to play Dirk Diggler before the role went to Mark Wahlberg. “Before Mark asked to do the movie, Paul really wanted Leo DiCaprio to do it,” Reilly said. “And I had already done ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ with Mary and Leo, and I knew Leo. I met him when he was 17. And I said, ‘Give me the assignment, Paul. I’m going to get this guy to make your movie.'”Reilly explained that he sat down with DiCaprio in Los Angeles to make his case. “Leo, let me tell you something. That movie, ‘Titanic,’ is about a sinking boat. Everyone knows the boat sinks. Nobody’s going to give a damn who’s on board,” she told him.Despite Reilly’s confidence, DiCaprio was not convinced. “He said, ‘Well, I don’t know. All my agents are saying this is going to be a really big movie and I should do it,” Reilly recalled. “And I was like, ‘I’m telling you, man. I’m not going to spoil it for you here. It’s about a sinking boat.'”
What happened after DiCaprio ignored the advice
DiCaprio ignored Reilly’s advice and accepted the role of Jack Dawson. ‘Titanic’ became a cultural sensation, winning 11 Academy Awards and establishing itself as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars.Reilly later acknowledged the size of the aftermath. “I think the huge success I had with ‘Titanic’ was a blessing and a curse. It was a lot for a young man. And I think, ‘What would have been my other path?'” he said.In August 2025, DiCaprio admitted that his “biggest regret is not doing ‘Boogie Nights,'” although he eventually had the chance to work with Anderson on the 2025 action thriller ‘One Battle After Another.’
What sources say DiCaprio is thinking now
A source told the outlet that while DiCaprio may now have a preference for Anderson’s grittier film, there’s no question he wouldn’t consult with him again. “One actor who will never take career advice is John C. Reilly,” the source said. “If he hadn’t first made popcorn like ‘Titanic,’ which made him one of Hollywood’s leading men, there’s a good chance he would never have been big enough to pick up projects later.“An industry insider noted that few actors would forget being told to broadcast a film that earned billions worldwide and turn its leading man into a global phenomenon almost overnight.
