**Biography** __________________________________________________ Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born in Los Angeles California. His name came to him as his mother was admiring a picture by Leonardo DiVinci and felt her baby's first kick. His parents George and Irmelin, split up before his first birthday. He was raised by his mother, a German-born legal secretary. His father, a comic book distribrator, lived closeby. His mother was very determined to make him a famous television and movie star, and he was very happy to go along with his mother's plan. He attended both John Marshall High School, and Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies. His first television debuts were the 'Santa Barbara' Series and 'The New Lassie' in 1988. He then did several other television series including 'Parenthood', 'The Outsiders', and 'Growing Pains'. He made his first movie debut in 1991 with 'Critters 3'. In 1993, he beat out 400 other hopefuls to play the physical and verbally abused kid in 'This Boys Life'. That same year he played Gilbert's (Johnny Depp's) younger mentally challenged brother in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?'. In 1995, he played the drug- addicted, basketball lover in 'The Basketball Diaries'. He also played a gay poet the same year in 'Total Eclipse'. In 1996, he played a problem teen in 'Marvins Room'. He also did William Shakespeare's classic 'Romeo and Juliet' in a new age setting that year. But perhaps his biggest break was in 1997, with the release of the movie 'Titanic'. A love story aboard the doomed ocean liner in which he plays the romantic lead, Jack Dawson. Then, in 1998, he went on to do 'Celebrity', and 'The Man in the Iron Mask'. In 1999, he will appear in 'The Beach'. Back to Homepage!