“Plot to him is secondary”: Leonardo DiCaprio Knows Martin Scorsese’s First Priority While Making a Movie Isn’t the Story

Veteran actor Leonardo DiCaprio talked about how Martin Scorsese approaches his films and revealed that plot isn’t as important to him as actors!.

What makes a Martin Scorsese film Martin Scorsese? For starters, it’s the legendary man himself.

Working alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and other veteran actors, the world has learned to fall in love with these Scorsese films.

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street | Credits: Red Granite Pictures.

So, what makes a film Scorsese? DiCaprio seems to know the answer to that question and it might surprise you.

Although having legendary and memorable stories, the plot is secondary to a director like Scorsese.

Leonardo DiCaprio Knows What Makes a Film Scorsese

With some iconic movies like Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, and, Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese needs no introduction to the people.

Despite having different stories, characters, and, themes, there are some things common in a Scorsese film.

Martin Scorsese in Hugo | Credits: GK Films/Infinitum Nihil.

Veteran actor Leonardo DiCaprio shines in almost every Scorsese film, and fans have simply fallen in love with Scorsese’s style.

Naturally, people are curious to know about the director’s approach to filmmaking.

In an interview with The NY Times, Leonardo DiCaprio sat for a chat.

During their talks, the actor mentioned that Martin Scorsese doesn’t care as much for the plot as much as he cares for the actors!

He’s learned as much as he can about the history of his art form and he’s brought that all into his filmmaking process.

He further continued,

But he’s always focused on what the actor gives, and that one-on-one dynamic.

Plot to him is secondary.

His focus is finding the heart of the story through the actors that he works with.

Working with DiCaprio on some iconic films like Gangs of New York, Shutter Island, and, Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese and DiCaprio had a heck of a time making these films.

However, the duo would never have met if it hadn’t been for another veteran actor who regularly works with Scorsese.

It was Robert De Niro who recommended DiCaprio to Scorsese and the rest, is history.

De Niro Recommended Leonardo DiCaprio To Martin Scorsese!

It was the year 1993 when DiCaprio and Robert De Niro worked on the film This Boy’s Life.

De Niro had finished working on Goodfellas with Martin Scorsese and the actor had a recommendation for the director.

Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon | Credits: Apple Studios.

Scorsese recalled in an interview (via Slashfilm) that if it weren’t for Robert De Niro, he wouldn’t have known Leonardo DiCaprio until after some years.

After ‘Goodfellas,’ he [De Niro] did ‘This Boy’s Life.’ We were talking on the phone, about what I’m not quite sure.

He further continued,

He said, ‘I’m working with this young boy.

You must work with him sometime.’ That was the first time I heard him recommend somebody to me.

‘The kid is really good.’.

That ‘kid’ that De Niro talked about was Leonardo DiCaprio and in 2002, Martin Scorsese and DiCaprio worked on the iconic film Gangs of New York.

The rest, as we know, is history.

Gangs of New York went on to receive a rating of 7.5/10 on IMDB and an average of 73% on Rotten Tomatoes.

However, that film gave the world the unbreakable duo of Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese.

Gangs of New York is available to stream on Max in the U.S.