7 Times Leonard DiCaprio Taught Us How to Win at Life

7 Ways Leonardo DiCaprio Teaches Our Kids How to Win at Life
7 Ways Leonardo DiCaprio Teaches Our Kids How to Win at Life

Did you ever think Leonardo DiCaprio would provide the fodder for some pretty amazing parenting advice? The former child star has been nominated for 31 industry awards. Of those nominations, five have been for Academy Awards® and 10 for Golden Globes. He has won three of the awards he was nominated for. In a week, we will find out if the Oscar® that has eluded him for his entire career will finally be his.


But 90% of the time, Leonardo DiCaprio has lost. Or has he? Winning a trophy isn't all there is to life. We know this, but more often than not, our kids need to be reminded of how to gracefully lose. Leo has a horrible record for winning film awards, but when it comes to winning at life and achieving? The kid has done all right.

7 Ways Leonardo DiCaprio Taught Us How to Win at Life

1. Keep trying new things
In 1993, Leonardo DiCaprio was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award® for his performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. He lost both times to Tommy Lee Jones for his performance in The Fugitive.

In a 1995 interview in Paper Magazine, Leo says: "Right now, I just want to keep on growing and stretching and trying new things. It's hard to sometimes not 'do the right thing' all the time. I don't want to do the right thing all the time because, I think, once you start doing that, then you're: a) not happy with yourself, and b) you turn into what's expected."

2. Don't do drugs
In 1996, Leonardo DiCaprio was nominated for a SAG Award for his performance by a cast in Marvin's Room. They lost to the cast of Birdcage.

Recently, Leo has made sure to remind us that he has never done drugs. You can find evidence of his strong feelings about drugs and performers who used them in performance as early as the mid '90s. In an interview about Marvin's Room, he was asked, "Are you anything like the dark characters you play?" Within his reply he shares, "I don't take it to those extremes. I think that's a path to destroying yourself."

3. Take chances
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio was nominated for a SAG Award for cast performance and a best actor Golden Globe for his performance in Titanic. The cast lost the SAG Award to the cast of The Full Monty. He lost the Golden Globe to Peter Fonda for his performance in Ulee's Gold.

In 1997, he spoke to ET about deciding to do such a MEGA film. "I traditionally have done smaller films and this, to me, was a completely new venture. I took a chance and tried something different. It definitely worked out, in my opinion, but I've never done anything of this caliber."

Related: 8 Oscar®-nominated stars' first roles before they made it big

4. Admit when you don't know something
In 2002, Leonardo DiCaprio was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance in Catch Me If You Can. He lost out to Jack Nicholson who won for his performance in About Schmidt.

He was asked in an interview about Catch Me if You Can and Gangs of New York (they were released very close together), "Are you feeling more confident about your own abilities at this point in your life?" Leo's answer was so honest and without much ego. He replied saying: "The more you grow up, the more you realize how much you don't know (he laughs), [that's] the truth of the matter. Certainly, my commitment to what I do now is more intense than ever before. And maybe I get more security in that."

5. Know your history
In 2005, Leonardo DiCaprio's turn as Howard Hughes in The Aviator brought him nominations for an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe Award, a Critic's Choice Award, a BAFTA Award, and a SAG Award. He lost every award except one to Jamie Foxx for his performance in Ray as Ray Charles. Leo won a Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Performance in a Motion Picture. Jamie Foxx took home a Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy Performance in a Motion Picture.

In his acceptance speech, Leonardo urges people to continue contributing relief to recent tsunami disaster. In 2004, Leo and the cast of Aviator spoke to Katie Couric. She asked him if he was a nerd. His answer was typical clever Leo. He shared, "I would say to some degree, yes, I am, Katie…"

6. Pay attention to what you buy & who you buy from
The year 2007 was starting to look like it could be The Year for Leonardo DiCaprio. His performances in The Departed and Blood Diamond earned him nominations from the Academy Award®, Golden Globes, Critic's Choice, BAFTA, and SAG. He lost to Forest Whitaker in every award show for Forest's performance in The Last King of Scotland.

It could have been a devastating year for Leo, but he became focused on speaking out about environmental issues that were important to him. This was the year that 11th Hour, a documentary that Leo had been working on for ages, was finally released. In an interview with Thom Hartmann, one of the experts featured in the documentary, Leo talks about his reasons behind making the film. "It's about getting people to understand that every time you pay for something, you're essentially endorsing the way that company does business; you're either endorsing new technologies, green technologies, or you're not. And you not only can vote with your dollar, but you have vote for political leaders that of course are going to try to implement these things in our daily lives." Leo won an International Green Award for this film.

7. Connect with the people you meet
Revolutionary Road brought Leonardo DiCaprio a 2009 Golden Globe Nomination. Mickey Rourke won for his performance in The Wrestler.

Kate Winslet did take home a Golden Globe for Revolutionary Road, and she gushed her love to Leo during her acceptance speech. Leo and Kate did multiple interviews and a ton of press for Revolutionary Road, and everyone had questions about their friendship. Their connection and banter was clear and genuine. When Leo spoke to GQ about some of the scenes in the film, he said, "Certainly there have been some cruel words exchanged. And that's what you draw on. Buddy, it's the human things you draw on. We go through life, we meet certain people and have connections with them."

Resource: List of awards and nominations received by Leonardo DiCaprio

Photo source: PCN

- By Dresden Shumaker

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