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"THIS BOY'S BIOGRAPHY"

Born in Hollywood, California on November 11, 1974, Leonardo attended Seeds University Elementary School at UCLA where he also took summer courses in performance art before moving on to the Center for Enriched Studies in Los Angeles. After CES, the next step was to enroll at John Marshall High School in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. Having been exposed to the world of art from an early age, Leonardo was instilled with the sense that creativity was a hugely important and beneficial thing for the human mind.
Always drawn towards performing, Leonardo started auditioning for parts in 1988, at the age of fourteen and appeared in a series of commercials and educational films. From that point he navigated a gradual hill up the acting chain. From bit parts on soap operas, to bubble gum commercials, the first "regular" gig was on the series "Parenthood," which lasted one season.
The following year, 1991, realizing any actor needs a film credit under his belt for future big screen work, Leonardo was cast in the B-grade feature, "Critters III." Before the year was out, he was invited to join the cast of the hit ABC sitcom, "Growing Pains," playing the role of Luke, a troubled homeless boy taken in by the Seavers.
By this time, our young actor had run the gamut of T.V and commercial spots and wanted to pursue film acting. The break came in 1992 when Michael Caton-Jones cast Leonardo in the much sought after role of Tobias Wolff in his big-screen adaptation of Wolff's best selling novel "This Boy's Life." Co-staring alongside Robert DeNiro and Ellen Barkin, "This Boy's Life," continues to be one of Leo's favorite acting experiences.
Later in 1993, Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom cast the young DiCaprio in the role of Arnie for the critically acclaimed film "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" His performance was extraordinary and earned him an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1994 at the age of nineteen. The next year, 1995, found Leonardo playing opposite Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman in Sam Raimi's deliriously stylish meditation on the Old West in "The Quick and the Dead." Later that same year, he starred in the adaptation of Jim Carroll's gritty autobiographical memoir, "The Basketball Diaries." He then went on to portray the doomed and deeply troubled pansexual poet, Arthur Rimbaud in Agnieszka Holland's film version of Christopher Hampton's play "Total Eclipse."
As one half of the star struck lovers in Australian director Baz Luhrmann's screen-adaptation of William Shakespeare's ultimate love story "Romeo and Juliet," Leonardo was paired with rising star Claire Danes in this strangely anachronistic, contemporary updating of the story, set in a neo-modern Verona Beach. He was also featured that same year as Meryl Streep's delinquent-to-the-point-of-criminal son in "Marvin's Room," another adaptation of a play. Sandwiched between the brilliant performances of Streep and Diane Keaton, Leonardo also had the opportunity to work again with Robert DeNiro, whose TriBeca Films produced the movie.
In late 1996, Leonardo signed on to star in James Cameron's "Titanic." With the biggest budget in film history and box office success far from a sure thing, the decision to do Titanic was a risky one. However, it paid off when the movie became the highest grossing of all time, transforming Leonardo's life forever.
Next up, Leonardo starred in "The Man in the Iron Mask" which shot in France with Gerard Depardieu, Gabriel Byrne, Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich. Owning the #1 position on the top ten box office list for the better part of the first half of 1998 with "Titanic," he virtually knocked himself out of the top spot with "The Man in the Iron Mask."
Legendary director Woody Allen cast Leonardo in his typically untitled "Fall Project," ultimately titled "Celebrity," in which he received highly favorable reviews for his satirical work as a young, out of control movie star.
Growing up on the eastside of Los Angeles, Leonardo wanted to give back to his community, donating a room full of computers and equipment to the new Los Feliz Library, built on the site of his childhood home. There are commemorative placards and curious fans are welcome at the library.
In 1999, Leonardo filmed Danny Boyle's screen adaptation of the best selling novel "The Beach" by Alex Garland. The film was shot entirely on location in Thailand and marked Leonardo's first starring role since "Titanic." Once he got back to the States, he started mulling for a new project and joined with one of his most admired directors, Martin Scorsese.
Aside from film-acting, Leo's passion for environmental awareness began to play a big role in his life. Finally in an influential position to make a difference in the name of the planet, he was invited to chair Earth Day 2000. In a special on the deterioration of the ozone level, he also interviewed President Bill Clinton. Leonardodicaprio.org is now devoted to helping the environment on a world wide level.
Leonardo stars in Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" co-starring Cameron Diaz, Daniel Day Lewis and Liam Neeson. It is Miramax's biggest feature to date and wrapped in April, 2001. The period piece is due out in Christmas of 2001. While deciding on future projects, Leonardo will be devoting more and more time to environmental causes.