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Baywatch could have changed everything for Leonardo DiCaprio. You see, before Titanic, before the Oscar runs and before he became a face of Hollywood, DiCaprio was almost part of the sun-soaked TV world of lifeguards and slow-mo runs.
In the early ‘90s, the Titanic star nearly got the role of Hobie Buchannon in Baywatch. He was only 15 at the time, which is certainly young, but he had already caught the attention in casting rooms. The studio considered him seriously, but things did not go his way.
David Hasselhoff Allegedly Blocked Leonardo DiCaprio From Joining Baywatch
David Hasselhoff, the show’s central star, was apparently not sold. As per Screenrant, he felt DiCaprio would make him look too old if cast as his son, and that hesitation, whether about age, looks, or ego, pushed the decision the other way. Jeremy Jackson, only nine at the time, got the part instead.
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It requires no special mention that casting was a strange game for a show so focused on appearance. Baywatch insiders later admitted that looks were a huge factor, and if you did not fit a certain mold, you did not stand a chance.
Missing Out On Baywatch Helped Shape Leonardo DiCaprio’s Film Career
DiCaprio’s rejection might have been the best thing that happened to his career. Baywatch ran for years, and being locked into that could have swallowed his early opportunities. Instead, he took on smaller but weightier roles, ones that shaped his career. By 1993, he stunned in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
Just four years later, in 1997, he played Jack in Titanic, a role that turned him into a global icon and changed Hollywood forever. If he had worn the red trunks and walked California beaches for several seasons, there is a strong chance none of that would have happened. The missed Baywatch role was not a loss for DiCaprio, but it cleared the way for something bigger.
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