Leonardo DiCaprio Names World’s Best Actress: 76 Years Old, 85 Films, 3 Oscars!

Leonardo DiCaprio, with a career filled with masterpieces and global recognition, has nothing left to prove. However, when it comes to appreciating the talent of others, he does not hesitate to be definitive. Contrary to what many might assume, the person he regards as the greatest actress of all time is not his long-time co-star Kate Winslet.

From Titanic to Inception, passing through Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, Romeo + Juliet, and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio has portrayed some of the most iconic characters in modern cinema. His portrayal of Hugh Glass in The Revenant even earned him his long-awaited Oscar, after no fewer than seven nominations starting when he was just 19 years old.

Unreserved Admiration

Throughout his 65 films and decades on set, DiCaprio has encountered many emblematic figures of the film industry. But one actress, in particular, struck him profoundly early in his career.

In an interview with Esquire, via Far Out Magazine, Leonardo DiCaprio shared that the most significant artistic impression of his career came from an actress he met when he was very young, about thirty years ago. This artist, with 21 Oscar nominations and three wins, is none other than Meryl Streep.

The Encounter That Changed Everything at Age 18

Their first collaboration was in 1996, on the set of the drama Marvin’s Room. DiCaprio was just 18 at the time, and the experience profoundly impacted him. He vividly remembers the moment he realized he was working with an extraordinary talent.

“I was 18 when I started working with Meryl. I remember running lines with her off-camera, watching her, and thinking: ‘What’s happening here? Is this going to be good?’ Then, when I sat in the theater, I thought: ‘Oh, my God, she’s the only one who looks completely natural. Meryl might just be the greatest actress in the world.’”

A Second Cosmic Collaboration

Years later, fate brought them together again. In 2021, the two cinema legends reunited in Don’t Look Up: Cosmic Denial, an apocalyptic satire where each explored an unexpected register. DiCaprio played a clumsy scientist announcing the end of the world, while Meryl Streep portrayed a cynical president more concerned with polls than with the survival of humanity.

This admiration expressed by one of the most respected actors of his generation for one of the most decorated actresses in film history encapsulates Meryl Streep’s aura. A straightforward tribute from a peer at the pinnacle of his craft.

To rediscover their on-screen chemistry, Marvin’s Room is available on VOD, while Don’t Look Up: Cosmic Denial can be streamed on Netflix, with its trailer available to watch below.

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