“I hadn’t really seen much of his previous work”: Leonardo DiCaprio Regretted Letting Arch-Enemy Mark Wahlberg Steal $43M Movie That Got 3 Oscar Nominations

Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg are two A-listers who remained close friends to the world but held strong opinions on each other’s caliber as arch-enemies.

Their feud dates back to 1995 when the actors starred together in The Basketball Diaries.

While Leo felt that the Pain & Gain actor wasn’t worth Mickey’s role.

Later, DiCaprio once again dissed the actor for letting him take Boogie Nights, which won three Oscar nominations.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg.

The Memorable Role Of Dirk Diggler From Boogie Nights

Leonardo DiCaprio once revealed that his biggest regret is turning down the role of porn star Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights (1997).

After his arch-enemy, Mark Wahlberg bagged the role, leading the $43 million movie to three Oscar nominations, the Titanic star revealed:

“My biggest regret is Boogie Nights.

I’m a huge fan of [director] Paul Thomas Anderson but the first time I met him for that role I hadn’t really seen much of his previous work.

Now I love that movie.”.

Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights.

Paul Thomas’ epic drama paved the way for Mark Wahlberg to become one of the biggest movie stars.

Even though Leo was Thomas’ first choice, knowing how he was “obsessed” with his previous work, the actor turned down this role to star in another huge film.

Leonardo DiCaprio Couldn’t Relate To Mark Wahlberg’s Mickey

Academy Award-winner, Leonardo DiCaprio’s “specific opinions” about Mark Wahlberg (who ventured into big-budget action movies after Boogie Night’s success), date back to 1995.

The two actors starred in The Basketball Diaries, based on the autobiography of Jim Carroll.

While Leo had already received critical acclaim with What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Mark Wahlberg, who starred as Mickey felt intimidated about his lack of acting experience, and felt that DiCaprio didn’t see him as a contender in a serious movie like The Basketball Diaries.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg in The Basketball Diaries.

Ironically, it was Mickey’s role that helped Wahlberg shape into something that reflected in the kind of blockbusters he starred in.

From an Oscar-nominated performance in Departed to playing Mickey Ward in The Fighter, Wahlberg’s career has been nothing but legendary!

Not to mention, his world’s highest-paid actor status in 2017 after bagging the Transformers franchise.

Boogie Nights can be rented or purchased on Amazon Instant Video.