Few names in Hollywood resonate as strongly as that of Leonardo DiCaprio. He continues to produce the goods on screen and to attract the plaudits off it. His latest project “The Revenant” premiered in Los Angeles this week and seems certain to ensure the former “Titanic” star yet another shot at an Oscar early in the new Year.
Clash with Star Wars’ premiere
Although there has been much interest in the epic tale based on true events, in which DiCaprio features as an explorer during the 19th century, the limelight has been slightly skewed by the timing of the Film’s initial release.
Any other cinematic production is bound to play second fiddle when the latest Star Wars’ episode is hogging the headlines. Following a limited pre-Christmas release though, “The Revenant” will be rolled out more extensively in January 2016.
Tom Hardy also stars
Nonetheless, the Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has created a blockbuster of his own with “The Revenant”, bolstering his credentials yet further after winning four Oscars for “Birdman”.
The film also features the hugely popular British actor Tom Hardy among the cast list. Hardy has been a busy man in 2015 in front of the camera, including major roles in “Mad Max: Fury Road” and the crime thriller “Legend”, where he portrayed both of the notorious Kray twins.
Hardy was easily persuaded by his acting buddy to sign up for the role alongside DiCaprio in the new film. He reported how ‘Leo’ had called him up to plug the venture, enthusing that he should “take a look at this script. It’s awesome.”
Deeply challenging acting conditions
“The Revenant” was however a deeply challenging role for DiCaprio and the rest of the actors, as the film attempted to recreate the American wilderness and depict the central character’s fight for survival within it.
Filmed in harsh conditions in British Columbia, the cast rehearsed and filmed in brief time windows for the western thriller. DiCaprio described the process designed to utilise the limited “magic light” as a “beautiful blur to me,” but also the “most difficult film” that he or any of his co-actors had probably performed in.
Based on real-life character
Inarritu and Mark L.
Smith’s screenplay was based on the 2002 book of the same name, written by Michael Punke and inspired by the real life of frontiersman Hugh Glass. The film has had several false starts since the book was first written, with Samuel L. Jackson and then Christian Bale believed to have been originally in the running for what ultimately became DiCaprio’s part.
Change of fortune for DiCaprio?
DiCaprio’s fans will no doubt feel that the 41-year-old star deserves better fortune in the Oscar stakes. Although often being nominated by the Academy during a successful acting career, his critically-acclaimed performances have not earned him the main prize.
His fortune has been better at the Golden Globes though, scooping the Best Actor category for both “The Aviator” and “The Wolf of Wall Street”. He will hope to add to his list of accolades with “The Revenant”, after the news of his recent Golden Globe nomination.
