“I’m game if they are”: Leonardo DiCaprio shares how he collaborates with top Hollywood directors

At the Los Angeles premiere of One Battle After Another on September 8, 2025, Leonardo DiCaprio talked about cinema and how he collaborates with top Hollywood directors. He told The Hollywood Reporter that his work with acclaimed filmmakers comes down to

“luck, and I guess the perseverance of just letting them know that you want to work with them, some day, when the time is right.”

He explained that this approach has guided his career for decades, starting with his first connection to Martin Scorsese. He emphasized his deep love of cinema, watching old films, and recognizing which directors create work that endures. He said that Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Paul Thomas Anderson are among those filmmakers.

“I just let them know I’m ready and I’m game if they are,” he said.

DiCaprio also reflected on working with Paul Thomas Anderson for the first time. He almost joined Anderson’s Boogie Nights in 1997 but turned it down because of his commitment to Titanic. Looking back, he has called that choice one of his biggest regrets. Nearly three decades later, he stars in Anderson’s new film.

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Leonardo DiCaprio on landing roles with top directors

Martin Scorsese, Lily Gladstone, and Leonardo DiCaprio attend the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' 14th Annual Governors Awards (Photo by Emma McIntyre/WireImage)

Leonardo DiCaprio explained that his approach is simple. He informs directors of his interest and remains patient. This method helped him connect with Scorsese early in his career, leading to several collaborations. At the premiere, he told The Hollywood Reporter,

"That’s what I’ve been doing; that’s how I met Marty [Scorsese] when I was young, I just let him know that if he’s ready, I’m ready.

"I really love film as an art form; I love watching old movies, I’m a cinephile, and it’s like those rare films rise to the top. There are certain filmmakers that have a multitude of those films — Paul is one of them, Quentin is one of them, Marty’s one of them. So I just let them know I’m ready and I’m game if they are."

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Leonardo DiCaprio on working with Paul Thomas Anderson

DiCaprio promotes the upcoming film One Battle After Another during CinemaCon (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

DiCaprio said turning down Boogie Nights was his “biggest regret." Nearly 30 years later, he finally collaborated with Anderson on One Battle After Another. Speaking about Anderson, he told The Hollywood Reporter,

“Any time that he asks, you work with P.T.A. This guy is like one of the great visionary filmmakers of my generation.”

He added that films like The Master, Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, and Magnolia remain works he continues to revisit and discuss. He said those films “are going to last for generations to come, so you jump at an opportunity to work with Paul.”

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Leonardo DiCaprio has outlined a clear pattern in how he works with top directors. He communicates his interest early, remains patient, and steps into projects when the time is right. His new collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson marks the continuation of that approach.

One Battle After Another opens in theaters on September 26, 2025.