Leonardo DiCaprio through the eras

Leonardo DiCaprio is a rare breed of thespian who can take us from pre-Civil War to the Roaring Twenties, convincingly and with ease. There really isn’t a look or an era he can’t pull off. So which is your favorite? Ponder these examples and cast your vote below…

William Shakespeare’s original work is set in the 1300s, but Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge!) gave it a post-modern setting and released it in 1996. Swords were replaced with guns and duels were replaced with gang warfare, but the feud, tragedy and dialogue remain. We’re not entirely sure how to “feeleth” about this Leo pic, but he does make this cross-era role uniquely his own.

In The Man in the Iron Mask, we get a double dose of Leo. He plays evil French King Louis XIV and his forgotten and imprisoned twin brother Philippe. Set in 1662, this role provides all the plumage and pageantry of the time (and the added bonus of Leonardo with long hair). This role has a little something for all types of women — those who are secretly turned on by bad guys and those who lean toward more sensitive, good men who have spent most of their lives imprisoned in an iron mask.

In Django Unchained, set in the pre-Civil War era, DiCaprio plays Calvin Candie, a vile and violent plantation owner. It’s hard to image anyone falling for Leo’s character is this feature; however, we can admire the lengths Leonardo had to go to in order to give us such a memorable portrayal of a repulsive individual. DiCaprio told VIBE, “I wanted to go in there and try to embody somebody and an attitude that is so foreign to me and go the distance. He sees all these atrocities happen but he’s able to separate himself in an almost inhuman way in order to prolong his lifestyle.”

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Oh, con men. We’ve all met one, haven’t we ladies? But have we met one this rich and this handsome? In Catch Me If You Can, DiCaprio plays a con man who scams millions of dollars by pretending to be a legal prosecutor, pilot and doctor. If there is one thing we have to give a good con man credit for, it’s the ability to fool others. Try pretending you’re a doctor for a day. It takes brains. DiCaprio’s Frank Abagnale Jr. has the smarts and looks most women are looking for, but his moral compass is decidedly broken.

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In the 1860s, Leo DiCaprio’s Amsterdam Vallon seeks to avenge his father’s death. Fascinating how an otherwise “pretty boy” can grow out his hair, throw on some Irish immigrant duds, knit his brow and look like a bad a**. For this reason, we’d not be surprised if this is one of your favorite Leo period-pieces.

We really have no clue when this movie is supposed to take place, anymore than we can figure out why we never heard of a movie that features a mostly-shirtless DiCaprio! The Beach was Leonardo’s first post-Titanic effort, sending adoring females to watch what ended up being described as a bland and empty movie. Still, if lovely Leo is sans shirt for two hours, do we really care about the plot?

While this remains one of our all-time favorite Johnny Depp movies, we’re not here to talk about Johnny Depp (although any time is a good time, don’t you think?). We heart Leonardo DiCaprio for his adorable and brilliant portrayal of Arnie, Gilbert’s younger, mentally challenged brother. We’re not sure you can call yourself a Leonardo DiCaprio fan until you’ve seen this movie. While it may not be Leo’s sexiest role, it is certainly one of his most endearing, and arguably one of his best acted.

Images supplied by WENN