Introduction: The Dedication of Leonardo DiCaprio | Behind the Screen

Leonardo DiCaprio, for me, belongs in the same category of actor as Brad Pitt: always play someone who is at least "mildly insane." I've always found those roles to be their most compelling, the ones that stretch them as actors and get the best results. So it should be no surprise that I include among that list of roles Leonardo's portrayal in Django Unchained, in particular, the now famous scene of Leonardo DiCaprio's lengthy speech that resulted in an injured hand.

The Story:

Leonardo plays his nastiest role: the incredibly racist "Monsieur" Calvin Candie - plantation owner, phrenology enthusiast, and all-around insanely evil shithead. Leo took the role as an opportunity to play someone who is decidedly evil, and he nails it. I won't go on about that, as it is his great dinner table speech that bears particular note.

In it, Candie has discovered that he is being played by the two main heroes of the movie, and rather than confront them immediately, sets about to terrorize them in a slow, disturbing reveal. At a critical moment in the action, Candie slams his hand down on the table, a movement meant to keep attention on him. Though rehearsed, in the passion of the moment, DiCaprio accidentally slams his hand on a crystal glass, shattering it and severely slicing open his palm. Any actor might call cut at that moment, but not Leo.

What's remarkable about this is the sheer concentration that DiCaprio displays as he continues through the scene. He barely reacts, though you can see his body subconsciously react to the wound for a fleeting second. Leo keeps his presence of mind, even using the wound to his advantage, and playing off of it as his character inspects said wound, removes the piece of glass, and even uses his blood to terrorize another character (and the actress, poor thing). It's a moment of sheer acting brilliance. And did he get acknowledgement for it at the Oscars? No.

Not that I'm bitter.

Check out the scene here.

Introducing "Behind the Screen" 

Each week, I hope to bring you a new story; a behind-the-scenes look at some of our favorite moments in cinema history. This could be a scene, a quote, or just a tidbit about film history in general. I'll keep 'em short and sweet, and may include video or other tidbits.

Sources:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/quentin-tarantinos-django-unchained-how-404160
https://variety.com/2012/film/news/leonardo-dicaprio-in-django-unchained-1118062924/

---

Title: Django Unchained
Based on: Original work with reference to a 1966 Spaghetti Western named Django
Released: 2012
Genre: Drama/Action/Blaxploitation
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Music: Multiple artists
Actors/Actresses: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson...


What kinds of Behind the Lines stories would you like to hear? Comment below!

---

SystemAndromeda.com (under construction!) - Facebook - Twitter

© Content property of Andromeda Ross, all rights reserved.