"I'm not the person who tries to be cool or trendy, I'm definitely an individual," Leonardo DiCaprio states. We all know that one, or maybe five or 10 movies that DiCaprio has starred in that leaves us wanting more, or absolutely leaving us speechless. He has an ability to dive head-first into his characters, where he becomes more than just an actor portraying a role. It's hard to believe DiCaprio has left empty-handed more often than not at award ceremonies. He is one of the most nominated actors for an Oscar, and has just recently won his first Oscar award. The only reasonable excuse for this shocking dilemma is the Oscar's refusal of awarding "cool" actors. Not only hasn't DiCaprio won an Oscar, but Brad Pitt has never won an Oscar in all of his acting career. He was nominated twice for best actor, but has yet to walk away with an award. The best way to describe "cool" actors is the way they do not invite audiences to share their position. It's not that "cool" actors are unsuccessful, or unpopular; it is rather the opposite. The Oscar's like to favor those characters that suffer, are homosexual, ugly, disabled, or mentally ill.
DiCaprio made his debut in drama and the big screen with "What's Eating Gilbert Grape." He plays a disabled teen in a small town, and this was an immensely difficult role, where many critics raved about his performance, but was yet not honorable enough to achieve an Oscar. Even though he did not receive an award, he was nominated and lost to Tommy Lee Jones in the "Fugitive."
"Inception" was one of DiCaprio's most mind-perplexing roles, where he plays Dom Cobb and takes you through the travels of a dream within a dream within a dream. He makes this mind-traveling experience to a relatable level that contributes to certain aspects of psychology. This movie came out in 2010, and really showed cinematic innovation in what they could portray, but yet again DiCaprio walked away empty handed to Jeff Bridges who plays a drunk in "Crazy Heart." Again, Oscar's tend to favor those roles that more people can relate to. More often than not, Leonardo DiCaprio plays dramatic roles that are too far gone to be relatable. "The Great Gatsby," "Django: Unchained," "Catch Me if You Can," and "Aviator" are all great DiCaprio movies, but are all too far-fetched.
On the contrary, "Wolf on Wall Street" and "Shutter Island" are roles that DiCaprio portrays as extremely relatable and performs riveting characters. In the "Wolf of Wall Street," he immediately takes on the role of Jordan Belfort, and makes it extremely real and something the audience can see as reality. It almost scares viewers to actually believe this happened, and the man is a legend because of it. The movie is an epic ride through the extreme highs and terrifying lows of rock bottom that DiCaprio shows as Jordan Belfort. One would think that DiCaprio would without a doubt walk away with the statue, but once more he was nominated and lost to his co-star Matthew McConaughey. This was the most shocking surprise at the 86th Oscar Award Ceremony, when yet again he was nominated but fell short.
"Shutter Island," on the other hand, is a psychological game played on the audience's mind, but in essence is hands-down the most complex movie and character DiCaprio plays. He is a US Marshall investigating the disappearance of a criminally insane patient on the island, but to his surprise, or rather the audience's, he ends up never leaving the island. This movie leaves viewers questioning their own sanity and still question how or why DiCaprio is falling short every time award ceremonies come around.
Award or no award, I think it is safe to say that Leonardo DiCaprio is one of those actors that any movie he is in you know it will be worth the time and money to watch. It's not that he hasn't won any awards, but he is more deserving of only one Oscar award. In some eyes he is robbed or under appreciated, but like he said, he's just an individual not trying to fit any mold. He is the type of person that does what makes him happy. DiCaprio is by far a great successful entertainer and is a respectable man. Over the years, we all watched him evolve into an even greater actor and a person as a whole. I like to think he knows and accepts that there is more to life than shiny trophies.
