Leonardo DiCaprio Explains Why He’ll Never Direct a Film

Many actors have made the leap from performing to directing, but Leonardo DiCaprio has no intention of following suit. Despite collaborating with some of the most respected names in the industry, he has firmly ruled out the idea of ever taking charge behind the scenes. His reasoning is straightforward: he feels he could never match the calibre of Martin Scorsese, with whom he has shared a long and fruitful working relationship.

Scorsese’s Influence and DiCaprio’s Reluctance

DiCaprio has been candid about his stance, stating,

Some people have asked me if I wanted to direct. I’m like, ‘I would never want to direct.’ I could never do anything close to what Martin Scorsese does. Why would I do that?

It’s a sentiment that’s hard to argue with, given Scorsese’s reputation as one of the finest directors of his generation. Nevertheless, audiences can look forward to seeing the pair reunite for their seventh collaboration, an adaptation of What Happens at Night.

Regrets About Not Observing the Master at Work

Although DiCaprio has made it clear he won’t be stepping into the director’s chair, he does admit to one regret: not spending more time watching Scorsese at work on set. Over the course of their six previous films together, DiCaprio was often absorbed in his own craft, focusing on his roles rather than the process unfolding behind the camera. He reflected,

I’ve been so focused on what I’ve been doing [laughs] as an actor; you make these decisions, you play these characters, you try to get into the depth of their soul as much as you possibly can. I would have loved to be much more of a voyeur, to watch what you do behind the camera

With their next project not set to begin filming until February, DiCaprio is already preparing for his role, perhaps with a keener eye on the director’s methods this time around.

Creative Process and Anticipation for the Next Project

DiCaprio is not known for method acting, but he does engage in lengthy discussions with Scorsese about his characters. This approach is being applied once again for What Happens at Night, which will also feature Jennifer Lawrence. The actor described these exchanges as essential to their creative process, saying,

I think [our process of] working together is the ability to almost have a debate for months… lots of questions, lots of playing devil’s advocate about a way to approach things that may not be the most obvious direction. We’re doing that on the new film now, and it’s been absolutely one of the most profound learning experiences.

While it remains to be seen whether this experience might eventually inspire DiCaprio to consider directing, for now, audiences can anticipate another noteworthy addition to their shared body of work.

No release date has yet been announced for What Happens at Night.