New Again: Leonardo DiCaprio

In 1994, Bruce Weber photographed a 19-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio for the cover Interview‘s June issue. One year before, however, DiCaprio appeared in a one-page story in the magazine to promote two of his early breakout films: This Boy’s Life and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. In light of his recent (and first) Oscar win for The Revenant, we decided to revisit our first encounter with the actor. 

Leonardo DiCaprio
By Jennifer Sullivan

Rejected by a talent agent at age 10 for having a bad haircut, Leonardo DiCaprio currently suffers a buzz cut—forced on him by his martinet stepfather, Dwight (Robert De Niro)—in the film of Tobias Wolff’s memoir This Boy’s Life. DiCaprio, in his “just go in and do it” spirit, delivers a fearlessly honest portrayal of the young Wolff, whom he believes “probably would have been a lot like me if he hadn’t met Dwight.” Then, in the fall, he appears as Johnny Depp’s mentally handicapped brother in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, this time sporting a bowl cut. The eighteen-year-old actor says he hopes to “ride this roller coaster” for as long as he can, come whatever coif. 

THIS INTERVIEW ORIGINALLY RAN IN THE OCTOBER 1993 ISSUE OFINTERVIEW. 

New Again runs every Wednesday. For more, click here.