Why Leonardo DiCaprio May Well Be Overrated

by Rebecca Emerton

I realise that, as a result of my writing this, most people will end up hating me.

I’m sure if anyone is much like me, they will have been paying close attention to many of the awards ceremonies taking place in 2016. Admittedly, I have yet to see The Revenant, but from what I’ve seen so far…I’m not sure I would enjoy it too much, seeing as I don’t enjoy things that make me jump or physical journey films too much. However, I suppose just to see the most recent appearance of Leonardo DiCaprio as he wows us again with his determination to achieve that golden statue he’s been aspiring to for so long, it may be justified, and I’m sure, worth it.

From what I have seen already in the advert, it looks like an outstanding piece of film with incredible cinematography and directing skills as well as the remarkable physical endurance that DiCaprio was supposedly put though in making the film. I must also point out that I do, one hundred percent, believe he deserved to win Best Male Actor in both the BAFTAs and the Oscars. I understand what good acting skill is and, as much as I love Eddie Redmayne, I too believe it’s high time Leo was awarded for his work.

Perhaps the title is unclear. I don’t think Leonardo DiCaprio is a bad actor in the slightest, and I do agree that he was the best winner for the award this year; however I do believe that he is consistently placed in the limelight as the ‘best actor in the world’ and so on, when there are many other people in the same league as him. More importantly, many other people that have also not won that beautiful golden figure – the Oscar award.

For years on end, people have discussed the outrageous fact that Leonardo DiCaprio has never won an Oscar (until this year). Yet many people fail to forget that some of the other, most phenomenal actors of our time haven’t either, some of whom arguably deserve to win one more than our beloved Leo.

A few that really shocked me include:

·         Tom Cruise

·         Michelle Pfeiffer

·         John Travolta

·         Robert Downey, Jr.

·         Will Smith

·         Bradley Cooper

·         Harrison Ford

·         Ralph Fiennes

·         And most importantly JOHNNY DEPP

In fact, all of these actors have been nominated for their starring roles but lost to someone else. It may shock you to know that Harrison Ford has only had one nomination, and it wasn’t even for Star Wars or Indiana Jones. Although Bradley Cooper lost an Oscar in 2015, it was to Eddie Redmayne in Theory of Everything, which is an incredible film so I’ll let them off this time… but he still missed the award on three other occasions, meaning that, like DiCaprio, Cooper has been nominated for 4 separate years, the difference being, he hasn’t won one yet.

Johnny Depp has got to be one of my all-time favourite actors, and I’m sure many other people ride that fan boat with me. Not only has he been in one of the most famous film series of all time (and forever granted a spot in my top 5 favourite characters) but he is also an outstanding actor. The range of characters he has played provides a clear and unchangeable result that he shows all the diversity and skill of an award winning actor, but I guess I’m wrong. He has been nominated for three Oscars as best male actor - and lost to Sean Penn in 2004, Jamie Foxx in 2005 and Daniel Day Lewis in 2008, all of which I personally don’t believe to be quite as good. Interestingly, as well as working side by side in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, both Leo and Johnny lost to Jamie Foxx in Ray in 2005, so I guess that sort of makes them equal, and DiCaprio went on to act with Foxx in Django Unchained – so hes obviously managed to get over that one.

To conclude this (possibly rather unpopular) opinion of mine, I’d just like to send my adoration out not only to Leo, who will forever be in my heart (and also my top 5 as Romeo – just to prove I am unbiased) but also to all the other incredible actors. I hope that just like Leonardo, they will all achieve an Oscar one day, but in the mean time, hats off to them for handling it all like utter champs, and congratulations to Leonardo DiCaprio – the best looking actor I’ve ever encountered.