No one in Hollywood rakes in as much critical and commercial acclaim as Leonardo DiCaprio. Leo, as he’s so fondly called, commands respect for every project he chooses. His instinct for good script and charismatic screen presence make him every director’s dream. Audiences flock to movies he stars in because of this reputation - a true movie star in an age where the concept is becoming obsolete. Leo has been on screen since childhood, accumulating an impressive resume ranging from comedy to drama, adventure to thriller. Below you'll find Leonardo DiCaprio's 7 Greatest Movies Ranked.
Titanic (1997)
Aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic, Rose (Kate Winslet), a young aristocrat, falls in love with Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), a penniless artist. The star-crossed romance blossoms amid class divide and the ship’s doomed voyage. When the Titanic strikes an iceberg, chaos ensues, and survival becomes a desperate struggle. The story is framed by an elderly Rose recounting her memories to a modern-day expedition crew.
The James Cameron-directed film puts Leo on the map, no cap. He indeed put out a star-making performance here: equal parts cheeky and charming and handsome as hell. His chemistry with Winslet is the stuff of legend, inspiring fan devotions that go on and on until today.
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Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
Set in Los Angeles in 1969, the story follows fading television actor Rick Dalton (played by DiCaprio) and his stunt double Cliff Booth (portrayed by Brad Pitt) as they navigate the evolving landscape of the film industry. As Rick tries to revive his career, their lives intersect with that of rising star Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) - who infamously suffered one of the worst murders in Hollywood history irl. What happens next is wilder than your imagination, because only Quentin Tarantino can envision this love letter to Hollywood.
In his second collaboration with Tarantino, Leo totally went for broke as an ultra-dramatic has-been who clung to fame. The performance totally wouldn’t work without a tandem with Pitt, who played the cool man to Leo’s unhinged character. Their camaraderie buoys the movie, complemented by its meticulous recreation of 1970s Hollywood.
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The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio) rises from a penny-stock broker to a wealthy, drug-fueled tycoon through fraudulent financial schemes. He builds a corrupt empire with extravagant parties, illegal deals, and moral decay. As his greed spirals out of control, the FBI begins closing in on his empire.
Probably Leo and frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese's most diabolical film to date, the film delivers a no-holds-barred portrayal of excess and greed that also skewers capitalism’s devilish hold on society. Leo’s antics in the movie are a testament to his laser-sharp commitment to every role he takes on.
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Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
In the 1920s, members of the Osage Nation were murdered one by one after oil was discovered on their land. The killings are part of a sinister plot to seize their wealth, orchestrated by white settlers, including the opportunistic Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio). As the body count rises, the newly formed FBI investigates the conspiracy.
Introspective in tone, but epic in scale, this harrowing tale unveils a real-life history never depicted on screen before. In his nth collaboration with Scorsese, Leo takes on a wholly unlikeable character, putting the well-deserved spotlight on Lily Gladstone as Mollie, the Osage heiress he both loves and manipulates. At 3.5 hours, it’s a sprawling story with really gruesome elements, but the powerful acting and gorgeous cinematography lift it up.
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Inception (2010)
In Christopher Nolan’s science fiction thriller epic, Leo plays Dom Cobb, a thief who enters people's dreams to steal secrets. He’s barred from entering America due to a past incident. An offering of a lifetime gives him a chance to redeem himself by planting an idea instead. As he assembles a team for the complex "inception" mission, the boundaries between dream and reality blur. Cobb is haunted by memories of his late wife, threatening the mission's success.
Leonardo DiCaprio's 7 Greatest Movies Ranked
Cerebral and visually resplendent, Inception marries sci-fi with thriller in a way that was never done before. The high concept could easily alienate general audiences, but Nolan’s deft hands perfectly balance entertainment with pathos at the heart of the film. The key that ties all these: the intricate heist plot in the second half of the
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The Departed (2006)
Adapted from Andrew Lau’s Hong Kong crime drama Infernal Affairs, the Boston-set film centers around an Irish mob mole (Matt Damon) groomed to spy on the Massachusetts State Police and an undercover cop (DiCaprio) trying to expose the syndicate from within. As both sides grow suspicious, a deadly cat-and-mouse game unfolds. Each man fights to protect his identity while uncovering the other.
Leonardo DiCaprio's 7 Greatest Movies Ranked
In this star-studded crime thriller, Scorsese transforms the near-perfect Hong Kong original into something of his own. Infusing his own touch, this Oscar-winning drama is taut, intriguing, and superbly well acted. Well, how can it not when the cast has DiCaprio, Damon, Nicholson, Wahlberg, Farmiga, and Sheen in the lineup?
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Django Unchained (2012)
In Quentin Tarantino’s revenge epic, freed slave Django (Jamie Foxx) partners with a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner, Calvin Candie (DiCaprio). Their journey through the antebellum South is marked by violence, cunning, and unexpected alliances. As Django transforms into a gunslinger, he exacts justice on those who wronged him.
Leonardo DiCaprio's 7 Greatest Movies Ranked
It seems like Leo enjoys playing against type whenever he’s working with Tarantino. In this spaghetti western epic, he plays the maniacal main villain, Calvin. In a sea of standout performances, Leo’s Calvin beams with glee as he commits heinous acts. Truly a villain you love to hate. The film itself is a delightful homage to a dying genre. Tarantino, a known cinephile, puts his all to fashion a faithful western while imbuing it with contemporary touches.
Got another Leonardo DiCaprio film we haven’t mentioned? Sound off in the comments below!
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