The work you may have missed? Educational films:"How to Deal With a Parent Who Takes Drugs" and "Mickey's Safety Club."
Leo's big break was in 1993, when he landed a role in This Boy's Life opposite Robert De Niro. " It was like going to the major leagues. I knew from that point on that I wanted to stay in films."
Next, Leo went nuts preparing for his role in What Eating Gilbert Grape. "Every day I could do exactly what I wanted. I'd say to the director, 'Can I throw up in this scene? Can I burp at the table? Can I spit my food out?' and he'd 'Yes. Go do it.'" He's antic resulted in an Oscar Nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Both William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet and Titanic were filmed in Mexico. It was during R&J that poor Leo contracted Montezuma's revenge. His analysis? "I was in Mexico too long!"
Leo agreed to act in a short film, Don's Plum, as a favor to friend R.D. Robb. But when his pal decided to expand it to a full-length feature, Leo and his representatives weren't happy, and they have been trying to stop distribution.
After playing royal twins in The Man in the Iron Mask, Leo has a part in Woody Allen's next movie, Celebrity, due out this fall.