Leonardo DiCaprio wasn't so lucky. He was harassed by the older Johnny Depp on set, writes Far Out magazine.
However, such treatment did not negatively affect his performance. Although he was relatively new to the world of acting, he played the role flawlessly and even then showed the potential of one of the biggest stars of his generation, a status he later confirmed.
While being strict at work is common, bringing personal problems into the workplace and taking out frustrations on a teenager is professionally problematic. However, we're talking about Johnny Depp, an actor who is also known for being a demanding coworker.
Depp was no veteran then. He was 29 when filming began on “What’s Wrong with Gilbert Grape” in November 1992. Unlike DiCaprio, who turned 18 two weeks after production began, Depp already had ten years of experience under his belt and a Golden Globe nomination.
Johnny Depp's confession
DiCaprio had prepared extensively for the role of Arnie Grape and spent hundreds of hours researching the character. However, on set, he encountered a moody Depp, who decided to take out his inexplicable frustrations on his younger co-star.
"Making that movie was a difficult time for me for some reason, I don't know why," Depp recalled. The actor also spoke openly about his relationship with DiCaprio off set. "I tortured him. I really tortured him."
It seems that Depp was most irritated by DiCaprio's youthful energy and interests, typical of a teenager.
"He was always talking about video games, you know?" Depp recalled. "I told you, it was a dark time. 'No, I'm not going to give you a cigarette while you're hiding from your mom, Leo.'"
Stories of Depp's difficult character on film sets have circulated for decades. Despite their strained relationship, Depp and DiCaprio worked as a great on-screen couple, although most of the praise from critics and audiences went to DiCaprio.
