Leonardo DiCaprio apparently wanted to play the prominent artist Leonardo Da Vinci all his life. (Source: Reuters)
Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio is all set to portray the leading artist and intellectual from the Italian Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci in an upcoming biopic. The film marks DiCaprio’s ninth project in which he plays a real-life character.
In his last film The Revenant, DiCaprio portrayed frontiersman Hugh Glass, the role which won him the best actor Oscar for the first time. The Great Gatsby actor will also produce the latest film under his Appian Way banner, alongside president of production Jennifer Davisson for Paramount, which has acquired the rights to Walter Isaacson’s book on Leonardo da Vinci, reported Variety.
Leonardo Da Vinci, who was born in 1452 and died in 1519, is best known for the iconic Mona Lisa, as well as other artworks such as The Virgin of the Rocks, The Last Supper, Vitruvian Man and Annunciation. He also was a skilled inventor. Leonardo DiCaprio apparently wanted to play the prominent artist since he was apparently named after him. His pregnant mother is said to have been looking at a Leonardo Da Vinci painting in a museum in Italy when he first kicked; which is why she decided to name her son Leonardo as well.
Call it coincidence or just some magical hint by the universe, but both the artist and the actor excelled and gained fame for their work in the creative field. Actor, producer and environmental activist, Leonardo Di Caprio – who started his career with television commercials – has now become one of Hollywood’s A-listers. He is well-known for his cinematic collaborations with Hollywood director Martin Scorsese.
(With inputs from PTI)
