Paul Rudd reveals he told Leonardo DiCaprio to do Titanic while filming Romeo + Juliet together

Rudd also has a surprising familial connection to the ill-fated cruise ship
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Megan C. Hills17 October 2019

It’s hard to imagine that Leonardo DiCaprio might not have captured our hearts playing Jack in the 1997 movie Titanic, but the star reportedly had doubts about taking on the role.

Luckily he was set to rights by an unexpected person: his one time co-star Paul Rudd, who also has a connection to the world’s most famous shipwreck.

Rudd and DiCaprio starred together in Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo + Juliet, which came out the year before Titanic (the third highest grossing film of all time) was released.

Rudd, who played Paris in the Shakespearean adaptation, wrapped filming on set and the cast celebrated with drinks; though on the way there he had a career-changing conversation with DiCaprio.

Speaking on Graham Norton, Rudd said, “I don’t think I had an influence [on whether DiCaprio took the role], but sometimes, looking back, you find yourself in some interesting conversations and moments in time.”

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic
IMAGE NET

Rudd revealed that he had shared a car with DiCaprio on the way to the bar, during which they talked about what was up next for the then-rising star. DiCaprio confided to Rudd that he had been offered a role in Titanic. It was a project which would have had particular resonance to the Anchorman star, whose father was a leading expert on Titanic and who toured the world giving university lectures on the subject.

“I was riding to the place with Leo and he said, ‘I just got offered this movie, and it’s a big movie.’ And he had done indie films up to that point. He said, ‘It’s a studio movie, it’s Titanic.’” Rudd said.

“I said, ‘That’s incredible!’ And I knew a lot about Titanic because my dad just talked about it at the table,” Rudd continued, “And we had a conversation about it and [DiCaprio] was saying, ‘Oh, like I don’t know what I’ll do.’”

“I remember saying, ‘You should do it!’” he said.

Although Rudd did downplay his involvement in DiCaprio’s choice to take on the role, he said, “I don’t think I had any say, but it is kind of interesting to think back on that. Cause he did it. He did the movie.”

Stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1997 epic (Reuters )
Reuters

Prior to Titanic, DiCaprio had minor television roles and starred in indie films including What’s Eating Gilbert Grape alongside Johnny Depp. The latter earned him a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination at the age of 19. Following Titanic, DiCaprio went on to become a teen heartthrob but has since established himself as a critically acclaimed actor with a number of Hollywood blockbusters under his belt. After years of being nominated, he also eventually won an Oscar for his role in The Revenant.

Although Titanic was a pivotal moment in DiCaprio’s career, there’s one interview question he’s clearly sick of being asked about the film - whether Jack could have fit on the makeshift raft with Rose and lived.

During an interview with MTV News, his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood co-stars Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie needled him for an answer.

In response, DiCaprio stated repeatedly, “No comment.”

The Titanic in pictures

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