Johnny Depp tortured Leonardo DiCaprio in the ‘90s? (Photo Credit – Koimoi)
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Picture this: Hollywood in the ’90s, a time of flannel shirts, hair gel, and a duel of heartthrobs. Enter Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, who could be the best of buds. But oh, how appearances can deceive! Beneath the glitzy surface of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, things were more Fatal Attraction than BFFs.
In the early ’90s, DiCaprio was on fire! He had transitioned from commercials to television hits before landing his big break in This Boy’s Life (1993). Meanwhile, Depp was on a different quest—shedding the teen heartthrob persona from 21 Jump Street (1987-1991) and diving deep into serious acting. His collaboration with Tim Burton on Edward Scissorhands (1990) was a revelation, but Gilbert Grape’s role put him to the test.
In What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, Depp portrayed the caring older brother, Arnie, played by none other than DiCaprio. Their on-screen chemistry? Electric. Off-screen? It’s a bit more Scream than Titanic. Depp confessed in a Cosmopolitan interview, “It was a hard time for me, that film, for some reason. I tortured Leo. I did.”
Yes, you read that right! While playing a brotherly figure, Depp was busy being a not-so-fun older sibling. Imagine young Leo, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, excitedly talking about video games, and Depp, channeling his inner brooding artist, delivering zingers like, “No, I will not give you a drag of my cigarette while you hide from your mother again, Leo.” Ouch!
Depp was having an entire “dark period” while filming. Maybe it was the pressure of being a leading man or the ghost of Winona Ryder haunting him after their infamous split. Either way, he seemed to take out some of that stress on his co-star, making the set feel like a scene from The Hunger Games—except instead of arrows, cigarette butts and sarcasm were flying around.
But let’s not wholly throw Depp under the bus. Despite the playful torment, he gave DiCaprio props, saying, “I respect Leo a lot. He worked hard on that film and spent much time researching.” In this topsy-turvy world of Hollywood, respect was indeed buried under layers of quirkiness.
Fast forward to today, and we can only laugh at the idea of DiCaprio dodging Depp’s sarcastic jabs while trying to hone his craft. Can you imagine a 19-year-old Leo dealing with Johnny’s antics? Talk about a masterclass in handling the pressures of fame!
And just when you thought the drama couldn’t get more absurd, enter the latest headlines: Depp and Jenna Ortega? Not a thing. Ortega took to social media to shut down rumors, stating, “I can’t even laugh; I have never met or worked with Johnny Depp. Please stop spreading lies about us and leave us alone.” The gossip mill is spinning out of control, especially with Ortega allegedly attached to the upcoming Beetlejuice 2.
As we reminisce about this wild ’90s saga, it’s clear that the journey of Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio is anything but boring. From playful jabs to award-winning performances, their paths crossed in the most unexpected ways. Who knew a film about family struggles would hide such a peculiar sibling rivalry?
