Leonardo DiCaprio

In the sun-kissed sprawl of Los Angeles, an iconic actor was born on November 11th, 1974 - Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio. Best known for his captivating performances in biopics and period films, this American actor has been dazzling audiences and winning awards for decades now.

DiCaprio's acting career began modestly when he was just a young boy, making appearances in television commercials during the late 1980s. By the early '90s, Leo had landed recurring roles on popular TV shows like "Parenthood," before making his big-screen debut in "This Boy's Life" (1993) as author Tobias Wolff.

It was his heartrending performance as a developmentally disabled boy in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" (1993), however, that really put him on the map. At only 19 years old, DiCaprio received critical acclaim and scored his first Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for this moving portrayal.

However, it was his roles in Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" (1996) and James Cameron's epic love story "Titanic" (1997) that catapulted him into international stardom. Following the record-breaking success of "Titanic," DiCaprio took a brief hiatus from acting to reinvent himself, refusing roles in romantic dramas and choosing instead to explore other genres.

In Catch Me If You Can (2002) and Gangs of New York (2002), he dabbled in crime drama, while taking on the challenging role of Howard Hughes in The Aviator (2004). His performances in the political thriller Blood Diamond (2006), the gritty crime drama The Departed (2006), and the emotionally charged Revolutionary Road (2008) only served to solidify his status as a versatile actor.

From there, DiCaprio starred in a series of high-profile projects directed by some of the biggest names in cinema. In Christopher Nolan's mind-bending sci-fi thriller "Inception" (2010), Quentin Tarantino's spaghetti western "Django Unchained" (2012), Martin Scorsese's dark comedy "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013), Alejandro G. Iñárritu's survival epic "The Revenant" (2015) - for which he finally won his long-awaited Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role - and Quentin Tarantino's ode to Hollywood, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019). Each of these films was a critical and commercial success.

In addition to his acting work, DiCaprio is also the founder of Appian Way Productions, a production company responsible for producing several of his films as well as the documentary series "Greensburg" (2008-2010). He also established the nonprofit Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, dedicated to promoting environmental awareness. Leo has been an avid supporter of charitable causes throughout his career and has produced numerous documentaries focused on environmental issues.

For his contributions to the arts, in 2005, DiCaprio was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He continued to make waves in Hollywood as well as globally, when he appeared in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list in 2016.

From humble beginnings in sun-kissed Los Angeles, Leonardo DiCaprio has grown into a multifaceted actor and environmental activist, leaving an indelible mark on both Hollywood and the world at large.