WRITTEN and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore.
The ninth film from the writer-director is a dramedy that features a large ensemble cast, which includes Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino and Kurt Russell, as well as multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.
This marks 45-year-old actor DiCaprio’s second collaboration with Tarantino after the 2012 blaxploitation western, Django Unchained.
After making his big screen debut in the low-budget horror-sci-fi franchise Critters 3 way back in 1991, Hollywood-born DiCaprio has become a titan in the movie industry having worked with big wig directors such as Martin Scorsese, James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.
Some of the award-winning actor’s movies include What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, Blood Diamond, The Departed, The Wolf Of Wall Street and The Revenant.
Here, DiCaprio talks about his character and the film:
WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT THE CHARACTER?
When I first read the script, besides the idea of Rick being an actor that’s experiencing a shelf life, I realised that it’s about a person that’s dealing with their own mortality, in a lot of ways, and coming to terms with that.
WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT YOU’VE NEVER WORKED WITH BRAD BEFORE?
Yeah. We were on the same (1980s-1990s) TV show, Growing Pains. But we’d never really worked together, though. It’s interesting because as we – Quentin and Brad and I – realised that we all came around in this industry in the same era and time, in that early to mid-’90s timeframe. So we have that prior reference.
HOW DID YOU FIND WORKING WITH HIM?
It was fantastic. He’s an amazing actor, so professional and so easy to work with. Not only from the intersecting story together, so there was this great comfort we had, not only from working together, but we knew so much of our characters’ backstories that it made way for great moments of improvisation. There was just this natural thing that came out in us. Not a lot needed to be said. We understood the bond between our characters. We understood it implicitly. We literally had folders of what our history was together: how long we’ve been in the industry, how Cliff had had my back through the hard times.
HAVE YOU EVER BONDED WITH A STUNT DOUBLE ON ANY OF THE MOVIES YOU’VE WORKED ON?
To me, Brad’s character Cliff, is not just a stunt double. He’s more of an all-purpose Swiss army knife to my character – he’s a shoulder to cry on, a psychiatrist, bodyguard, an assistant, he’s everything. Rick pays him and gets 12 other jobs into the bargain. Rick keeps him working, but he’s there for him. I’ve had guys like that. You’re off in fricking Africa for eight months and you’ve got that person that’s going to be there, just to be silent and watch TV with you when you don’t want to be alone.
YOU AND BRAD HAVE AN EASY CHEMISTRY ON SCREEN. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD TO WORK AT, OR DID IT COME NATURALLY?
Well, that’s a lot to do with Quentin. Quentin brings to you almost like a novel of your history as a character, so Brad and I stepped on set having read almost like a biography on our characters’ past work, our relationships, what we’ve been through together. And Brad’s not only an amazing talent, but he’s such a professional on set that we just kind of fell into these roles. We kind of instinctively knew who these men were and what that relationship would be in Hollywood.
YOU’VE WORKED WITH QUENTIN BEFORE. IF YOU COULD SINGLE OUT ONE THING THAT YOU LEARNT FROM HIM, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
One thing? That’s hard. For me, he has the consistency that I’ve found in people that make good art in this industry. In particular, those directors are the ones that have an acute understanding and appreciation of film history. Quentin not only understands the history of the classic cinema but the history of B-movies and pulp films that I’d never heard of, films that are a lost art form and that he has copies of. He knows about music that I’ve never heard of, television that I’ve never heard of, and the complete filmographies of actors that have sort of disappeared, historically. This film is an homage to all those that have maybe been forgotten, a tribute to those people during that time period who were struggling to be successful but did give their contributions nonetheless.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
In a lot of ways, this is maybe the catalyst for creating these characters. Recognising those people in the industry that have made their contributions that he’s in love with but who maybe I, or my generation, know nothing about – people that sort of evaporated historically. That’s why he pointed us to so many different guys like, Edd Byrnes or Ty Hardin. He’d say, “Hey, check this actor out, Ralph Meeker. He may not be Robert De Niro or Brando, but look at the work and contribution that he gave to the industry. Look at his time, look at these weird television shows that you’ve never even heard of.” So, to me, it’s his homage to those that have contributed to our industry and the art form that he loves and maybe don’t get the recognition – and what, psychologically, they may have gone through, you know what I mean? That journey and quest for that one shot to ultimate stardom. That’s what I loved about his approach to these guys. It’s his love letter to this industry.
IS THAT KIND OF ATTENTION TO DETAIL UNUSUAL?
There are few filmmakers that I’ve worked with like that, Scorsese being one of them. Their childhood has been so immersed in this art form that anything you speak about, whether it be culturally or politically, is in the context of movies, in a weird way. It’s in the context of having lived by immersing themselves in this art form, it’s in their DNA. It’s hard to describe, y’know? So if there was any director out there that asked me, “What’s the first thing I should do?” I’d say, “You know what? Spend two years watching what people have already done and then come to the table and try to create your own thing.”
THE MOVIE TALKS A LOT ABOUT FRUSTRATED EXPECTATIONS. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU STILL FIND YOUSELF DEALING WITH?
When you’re an actor you play different characters – it doesn’t necessarily need to be your own life, your own experience. I mean, that’s a part of what we do as artists. Having said that, I felt completely connected with this character. I felt like I knew who this man was. I have a lot of friends that are actors, people that I grew up with, ever since I was 13. I know the struggles. And not only the struggles but the immense waves of insecurity that one might have, feeling like everything’s sort of falling apart. I don’t know why, but I immediately connected and understood what this person is personally going through.
DO YOU EVER WORRY THAT THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON YOUR OWN CAREER?
Look, it’s always going to be a rollercoaster ride. There’s going to be ebbs and flows in one’s careers. It’s going to be better or worse but, look, I always saw this as a long-distance race. Brad and I come from sort of the same generation, in that we got our break at the same time – I think we both know and appreciate it. We were given this one opportunity and we have to try to make the best of it, and work with the best people we possibly can.
IS THERE ANYTHING AN ACTOR CAN DO TO EXTEND THEIR SHELF LIFE?
(Laughs) Great moisturisers!
BUT YOU’VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL SO FAR. WHAT’S YOUR SECRET?
I’ve tried to make the best choices we possibly can. I think both Brad and I have tried to challenge ourselves. Look, I think movies are the greatest modern art form. I feel honoured and privileged to be a part of it and, like I said before, I think Brad and I both came into this industry around the same time, and we know how difficult it is to get that one shot. Both of us have tried our very best to make use of that opportunity and work on films that challenge us and are also great pieces of art. That’s the best we can do.
YOU’VE BEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY A LONG TIME. IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE HIM?
Just enjoy the process more, that’s what I would have told myself. Keep pushing yourself, but enjoy the ride. All this is to be taken seriously, but enjoy the journey.
DESPITE HIS DEMONS, YOUR CHARACTER COMES OUT PRETTY HEROIC IN THE END. WHAT DOES BRAVERY MEANS TO YOU?
Being able to speak out in the face of being unpopular, or adversity, or (people) not speaking the truth.
IS THAT EASY FOR YOU?
No, not always easy, but we need that. Thank God for the Press too. Seriously, thank God for the Press. Thank God for those dubbed “fake news”. I mean, it’s ludicrous that there could be a patent definition of what news is when people are really trying to report the truth right now.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE AUDIENCES TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE FILM?
I hope that we keep talking about the past conversations, about the transitions in Hollywood history – from the musical to the auteur director era, to the talkies from silent films, and now we’re in this very interesting transition today. We’ve made a film that, I think, harkens back to maybe a forgotten style of making movies, a style that is sort of dissipating right now. But there’s a new tech coming into play, there’s a new player in town. I think in a lot of ways the old studio system is becoming a fossil and there’s new players in town. And we’re seeing a different format in the way movies or entertainment is done with these long series, and at the same time there’s a lot of amazing documentaries.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THESE CHANGES?
I’m looking forward to see what art turns into. I just hope that we’re not so overwhelmed with content that we become desensitised when something really unique comes around. But those things are being given opportunities – there’s a lot of movies that can get made now that I don’t think could have gotten made even five years ago. I really do. There’s movies I could do where I would be begging, “Please, please, I know it’s about sex and drugs and violence. I know it doesn’t fit the format of what you studios think, but there IS a commercial aspect to this – please give us money!” Now I think there are like, three or four (platforms) that have a theatrical aspect and can give these great directors the ability to have their audiences watch it in the way they should be glorified: sound-wise, with that immersive experience, that communal experience. It’s going to be interesting.
Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment (Malaysia)
Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood opened in cinemas nationwide yesterday.