Leonardo DiCaprio Turned Down ‘Hocus Pocus’ (And a Lot of Money)
Oh, Leo!
Leonardo DiCaprio is up for the Best Actor Oscar this year for his role as a sleazy Wall Street scoundrel in 'The Wolf of Wall Street.' The hunky actor has always made impressive choices when it comes to his roles -- and he just revealed that he has always been like that.
DiCaprio revealed to Variety that he turned down a boatload of cash and a starring role in the big budget 'Hocus Pocus' in favor of auditioning for the indie flick 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?' in which he played a mentally handicapped character.
That movie and role earned Leo his first Oscar nom for Best Supporting Actor. He hasn't won yet, but this could be his year. He did say that he nixed "more money than I ever dreamed of" to star in 'Hocus Pocus,' the beloved, 1993-released, witch-themed comedy starring Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker.
“I don’t know where the hell I got the nerve," the actor said. "You live in an environment where you’re influenced by people telling you to make a lot of money and strike while the iron’s hot. But if there’s one thing I’m very proud of, it’s being a young man who was sticking to my guns."
That's called integrity, Leo!