To this day Leonardo's parents are still friends. Leonardo spent ofen weekend's with his father going to museums, wich Leonardo loved or comic-book stores and conventions. His father became a comic-book distributor, creating and distributing comic-books from the garage of his home. He also took Leonardo often to baseball card conventions were he could often meet the players he admired. Today, he counts as one of his prized possesions an autographed baseball card of "Sandy Koufax" of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"My dad was alway's there for me,"Leonardo has said. "I've never missed out on a so-called normal father/son relationship because I saw him anytime I wanted. We've alway's had a lot of fun together!"
His mother told in an interview that she was so proud when Leonardo started walking at nine months, and he learned to talk also at a very young age , and that he never gave up easy. Dinosaurs would become a pasion for him as a child. His cat "Germain" would end up being killed in another fight with feline. His mother worked as a legal secretary to a lawfirm, and she did her best to provide everything for Leonardo that he needed. She used to make him clothes, and Leonardo was often mistaken for a girl.
His maternal Grandparents where also very active in his upbringing aswell. He traveled so many times to the home of his "opa" and "oma" in Oer-Erkenschwick in Germany, by the time he was in his teens he spoke fluently German. He was especially found of his Grandfather;"I loved my grandfather because he was so much fun to be with. He loved to joke around with me and always cracks me up", Leonardo said. Unfortunately He lost his grandfather after a grave illness in 1994, while he was making "Total Eclipse", in france.
"We're not the Hippie family that everyone imagines, the children don't meditate and we eat things other than organic foods. But then, we're not exactly the normal, run-of-the-mill family you get living next door either", Leonardo said.
Leonardo went to school in Los Angeles, but didn't like it very much. He attended the Center of Enriched Studies and Marshall High. His clasmate ,Susanna Meija recalls;" He was kind of a dork, like a little wimpy guy." Leonardo loved to make practical jokes and imatating people's behaviors, and up to this day he still does...
Leonardo's first movie was;"CRITTERS 3"-Leo as JOSH-(1991) Where he had a minor role in... After that he had a small role in the movie "POISON IVY"-Leo as GUY-(1992) with Drew Barrymore.
His big break was when he played "Tobias Wolff" in "THIS BOY'S LIFE"-Leo as TOBY-(1993), with Robert De Niro And since then he has starred in "WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE"-Leo as ARNIE GRAPE-(1993)-( a stunning performance, for wich he earned an oscar nomination for;"Best Suporting Actor")
"THE FOOT SHOOTING PARTY"(1994), a 27 minutes black and white picture about a boy who shoots himself in his foot because he doesn't want to be send to Vietnam. "THE QUICK AND THE DEAD"-Leo as KID-(1995)- with Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman. "THE BASKETBALL DIARIES"-Leo as JIM CARROLL-(1995) A true story about the poet-musician-ex junkie Jim Carroll,Leonardo play's Jim and his friend Mark Wahlberg also features in this picture. "TOTAL ECLIPSE"(1995) in wich he played the gay poet Arthur Rimbaud. "A HUNDRED AND ONE NIGHTS/LES CENT ET UNE NUITS"-Leo as FURTIVE and FRIENDLY-(1995) Leonardo play's a small role in this film. "ROMEO AND JULIET"-Leo as ROMEO-(1996)-( a modern version of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) with Claire Danes. "MARVIN'S ROOM"-Leo as HANK-(1996) With Meryl Streep. "TITANIC"-Leo as JACK DAWSON-(1997) with Kate Winslet, I am sure I don't have to tell any more about this wonderfull film. "DON'S PLUM"-Leo as DEREK- (1997) a black and white film who Leonardo and his friend Tobey Maguire agreed to do as a favor for a friend they agreed that it wouldn't be a full large film, this same friend has sued Leonardo and Tobey because he would like to bring it out in full lenght, guess he smells big bugs after the succes of titanic. "THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK"-Leo as KING LOUIS XIV and as PHILIPPE(1997-1998) With Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gabriel Brynne and Gerard Depardieu...
"CELEBRITY"-Leo as DARRYL-(1998)- a Woody Allen film in wich he play's a 12 minutes part. (just released!)
Leonardo's next movie is called "THE BEACH", shooting starts in January of next year in Thailand and Australia... More about this movie to come...
Leonardo also has appeared in the following television shows: "THE NEW LASSIE" "SANTA BARBARA"-Leo as the young MASON-(1988) "ROSEANNE" "THE OUTSIDERS"-(guest apearance) "PARENTHOOD"-Leo as GARRY BUCKMAN-(1990) "GROWING PAINS"-Leo as LUKE BROWER-(1991-1992).
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