Leonardo DiCaprio Almost Missed Out on an Iconic Role Due To “Not Being Good Enough”

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Leonardo DiCaprio wasn’t the first choice for the role of Frank Abagnale in the movie Catch Me If You Can. Although he became incredibly famous after Titanic in the early 2000s, director Steven Spielberg initially wasn’t sure if DiCaprio was right for the part of the real-life con artist.

Initially, Frank Abagnale, the man the movie is about, doubted Leonardo DiCaprio could convincingly play him. He worried DiCaprio wasn’t smooth or confident enough to capture the personality of the con artist who famously swindled millions. But after watching DiCaprio’s performance, Abagnale was amazed and felt the actor had perfectly portrayed him.

Honestly, a big part of why ‘Catch Me If You Can’ worked so well was Tom Hanks. He really wanted to play Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent, and I heard he actually went to Spielberg and even talked to Leo DiCaprio about getting the movie made. It’s cool to think about how proactive he was in getting involved!

Spielberg later shared with Roger Ebert that Tom Cruise called Leonardo DiCaprio and asked if he could join the film. Cruise was careful to emphasize that it was DiCaprio’s project and he didn’t want to overshadow him, offering to play the FBI agent. DiCaprio was thrilled, and Spielberg described it as Cruise humbly and graciously inviting himself to be a part of the movie.

Surprisingly, even director Steven Spielberg didn’t originally think of Leonardo DiCaprio for the part. He first considered Johnny Depp. However, both audiences and critics agree that DiCaprio, alongside Tom Hanks, made the film a modern classic. Catch Me If You Can remains one of DiCaprio’s most highly-rated movies and is still praised for its great story and acting.

Hollywood casting often has unexpected results. Even a highly skilled actor like Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t immediately land the role that ultimately made him famous.

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2025-11-09 12:44