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Imagine Leonardo DiCaprio singing “Lean on Me.” Sounds wild, right? It didn’t go as planned when he auditioned for Moulin Rouge’s lead role, Christian. Despite being a rising star, fresh off Romeo + Juliet, DiCaprio had one major hiccup: his voice. According to the actor, his singing was atrocious. The audition involving DiCaprio, director Baz Luhrmann, and a piano player didn’t improve. Leo remembers, “When I hit the high note, he just turned to me. ‘Yes, D, I don’t know if this conversation should continue.’” Ouch. So, after all, Christian’s poetic soul wasn’t to be voiced by DiCaprio.
While DiCaprio had the looks and charm for the role, the musical chops just weren’t there. Enter Ewan McGregor. The Scottish actor stepped in, crooning his way into the hearts of Moulin Rouge fans with songs like “Your Song” and “Come What May.” But I don’t think McGregor was lucky. His backstory involves a little drama with DiCaprio, who snagged the role in The Beach that McGregor desperately wanted. I guess this was the universe’s way of balancing the scales—Leo couldn’t sing, and Ewan could.
Not every day you hear a star admit their limitations, but DiCaprio did just that. Knowing his voice wasn’t up to par, he wasn’t about to force his way through a musical. And honestly? That’s refreshing. Can you imagine DiCaprio belting out “Spectacular, Spectacular”? Or worse, Les Misérables? That could’ve been a disaster waiting to happen. Instead, McGregor took center stage with his genuine talent and became a heartthrob.
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This wasn’t the last time they would cross paths with their directors. DiCaprio reunited with Baz Luhrmann for The Great Gatsby, and McGregor’s relationship with director Danny Boyle continued in Trainspotting—they’ve got a sequel planned, too. It’s funny how time and careers work out, right?
Looking back, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Ewan McGregor as Christian. His natural musicality added depth to the role, and he owned those iconic Moulin Rouge moments. Meanwhile, DiCaprio’s decision to bow out from the audition might’ve spared us a different version of the film, which could’ve been a little less spectacular.
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