Leonardo DiCaprio's 15 Best Performances From Titanic to The Revenant
For more than three decades, Leonardo DiCaprio has defied expectations. Starting out as a teen heartthrob, he's grown into one of Hollywood's most respected and versatile actors, known for throwing himself into roles that are intense, demanding, and often emotionally devastating. While some stars coast on charisma, DiCaprio digs deep, bringing complexity to even the most broken of characters.
From his Oscar-winning survival epic The Revenant to the jet-black satire of The Wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprio has made a career out of reinventing himself. Whether working with Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, or Steven Spielberg, he elevates every project with a signature blend of charm, physicality, and raw emotional fire.
Here are 15 of his very best performances:
1. The Revenant (2015)
Role: Hugh Glass
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Release Year: 2015
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his Oscar for The Revenant, a brutal, nearly wordless performance that tested the limits of physical endurance. As frontiersman Hugh Glass, DiCaprio crawled, grunted, and bled his way through the wilderness in one of the most intense roles of his career. It's not his most layered performance, but it's easily his most primal.
2. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Role: Jordan Belfort
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Year: 2013
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
In The Wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprio delivers one of the most electric performances of his career. As Jordan Belfort, he's a fireball of greed, ego, and manic energy, never once asking the audience to like him. The performance is equal parts comedy and chaos, with DiCaprio mastering both high-octane monologues and slapstick breakdowns with astonishing ease.
3. The Aviator (2004)
Role: Howard Hughes
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Year: 2004
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Genre: Biography, Drama
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Playing eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, DiCaprio walked the tightrope between genius and madness. Directed by Martin Scorsese, The Aviator gave DiCaprio the room to go big, and he delivered, channeling both Hughes's obsessive brilliance and his mental unraveling. It was the role that proved Leo wasn't just a star, he was a serious actor.
4. Shutter Island (2010)
Role: Teddy Daniels
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Year: 2010
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch: Netflix
One of DiCaprio's most underrated performances, Shutter Island finds him slowly unraveling as U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels. The movie's final twist is powerful, but it's Leo's slow-burn portrayal of grief and denial that gives the film its emotional punch. He carries the movie with aching vulnerability, all while the ground crumbles beneath his character's feet.
5. Inception (2010)
Role: Dom Cobb
Director: Christopher Nolan
Release Year: 2010
IMDb Rating: 8.8
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Where to Watch: Netflix
In Christopher Nolan's cerebral heist thriller, DiCaprio brings surprising emotional depth to what could have been a cool, distant role. As Dom Cobb, he grounds the film's dream logic with real stakes, a man haunted by the death of his wife and the children he may never see again. It's blockbuster acting at its best.
6. Django Unchained (2012)
Role: Calvin Candie
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Release Year: 2012
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Genre: Drama, Western
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
As plantation owner Calvin Candie, DiCaprio went full villain and relished every moment. Though his performance isn't as sharp as others on this list, it's unforgettable for its sheer audacity. He's unsettling, charming, and just plain terrifying. Not everyone can steal scenes from Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx, but Leo holds his own.
7. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
Role: Rick Dalton
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Release Year: 2019
IMDb Rating: 7.6
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
In Quentin Tarantino's love letter to old Hollywood, DiCaprio plays fading actor Rick Dalton with a vulnerability that's rare in his career. There's humor, melancholy, and a surprising amount of depth as Dalton wrestles with his fading relevance. It's one of DiCaprio's most human performances and one of his most rewatchable.
8. Revolutionary Road (2008)
Role: Frank Wheeler
Director: Sam Mendes
Release Year: 2008
IMDb Rating: 7.3
Genre: Drama, Romance
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Reuniting with Titanic co-star Kate Winslet, DiCaprio explores the collapse of the American Dream in Revolutionary Road. His performance as Frank Wheeler is full of desperation and suppressed rage, a man who feels trapped in a life he doesn't understand. It's a bleak, mature performance that shows how far he'd come since Jack Dawson.
9. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Role: Frank Abagnale Jr.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Release Year: 2002
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Where to Watch: Netflix
Long before he was known for heavy dramas, DiCaprio showed off his natural charm in Steven Spielberg's breezy con-man comedy. As teenage fraudster Frank Abagnale Jr., Leo balances swagger with vulnerability, showing us the scared kid behind the bravado. It's one of his lightest roles and one of his most likable.
10. Blood Diamond (2006)
Role: Danny Archer
Director: Edward Zwick
Release Year: 2006
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
DiCaprio earned another Oscar nomination for Blood Diamond, where he played a South African mercenary caught in the world of conflict diamonds. It's a muscular performance, and while the film itself is overly earnest, DiCaprio gives it grit and urgency. His accent might be debatable, but his commitment isn't.
11. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Role: Arnie Grape
Director: Lasse Hallström
Release Year: 1993
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Genre: Drama
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
At just 19, DiCaprio stunned audiences with his performance as Arnie, a teenager with developmental disabilities. It could have easily been a showy, awards-bait role, but Leo approached it with empathy, nuance, and authenticity. It was his first Oscar nomination and a powerful sign of what was to come.
12. The Departed (2006)
Role: Billy Costigan
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Year: 2006
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Where to Watch: Netflix
As undercover cop Billy Costigan, DiCaprio holds the moral center of Martin Scorsese's violent crime saga. Surrounded by showy performances, Leo plays it tortured and real, a man slowly buckling under the pressure of living a lie. It's an intense, jittery performance that anchors the entire film.
13. Titanic (1997)
Role: Jack Dawson
Director: James Cameron
Release Year: 1997
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Genre: Drama, Romance
Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Sure, Titanic is a love story, but it's also a showcase for DiCaprio's natural movie-star charisma. As Jack Dawson, he became the face of a generation. While his later roles would be darker and deeper, Titanic remains a cultural milestone and the performance that launched him into global superstardom.
14. The Great Gatsby (2013)
Role: Jay Gatsby
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Release Year: 2013
IMDb Rating: 7.2
Genre: Drama, Romance
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
In Baz Luhrmann's maximalist adaptation, DiCaprio gave Jay Gatsby a wounded soul beneath all the glamour. His now-iconic champagne toast scene is pure movie magic, but he also brought heartbreak to a character often reduced to a symbol. Gatsby's longing and delusion were safe in Leo's hands.
15. Gangs of New York (2002)
Role: Amsterdam Vallon
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Year: 2002
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Genre: Crime, Drama
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Leonardo DiCaprio shed his heartthrob image to take on a gritty role as Amsterdam Vallon, a young man seeking revenge in 19th-century New York. He held his own opposite Daniel Day-Lewis, delivering a performance full of intensity and emotional depth.
Leonardo DiCaprio has received significant recognition for several other performances. He won a Golden Globe for The Aviator (2004) and earned Oscar nominations for Blood Diamond (2006) and The Aviator.
His role in J. Edgar (2011) also brought critical acclaim, even though it didn't lead to major wins. His environmental documentary work, including Before the Flood (2016), also won him a 2017 Environmental Media Award. These projects further cemented his range and impact beyond mainstream acting roles.
Leonardo DiCaprio's career is a masterclass in longevity and reinvention. He's played icons, villains, dreamers, and broken men, often within the same film. Whether crawling through the snow, yelling across a trading floor, or floating on a door in the middle of the Atlantic, one thing remains consistent: he's always acting.
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