Leonardo DiCaprio has been in numerous critically acclaimed films, and he has quite a few Oscar nominations to show for it.
DiCaprio scored his first nomination in 1994 for his supporting role What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. However, the actor lost to Tommy Lee Jones for his role in The Fugitive.
Despite that early loss, DiCaprio went to establish himself as a leading man thanks to his performances in Romeo + Juliet and Titanic. While Titanic was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, DiCaprio was snubbed for a best actor nod.
More than a decade later, DiCaprio was nominated for a second time for his performance in The Aviator. He lost to Jamie Foxx, who played Ray Charles in the biopic of the singer’s life. DiCaprio went on to be nominated multiple times before securing his first — and so far only — win for The Revenant in 2016.
Keep scrolling for a look back at all of DiCaprio’s Oscar-nominated roles:
Arnold ‘Arnie’ Grape in ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’
Leonardo DiCaprio played the disabled younger brother of Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) in the 1993 coming-of-age drama. DiCaprio’s performance was well-received by critics and earned him his first Oscar nomination at age 19 for best supporting actor. He was the only actor in the film to receive a nod from the Academy. DiCaprio ultimately lost to The Fugitive’s Tommy Lee Jones.
Howard Hughes in ‘The Aviator’
More than a decade after his first Oscar nomination, Leonardo DiCaprio received his second nod for The Aviator in 2005. DiCaprio portrayed Howard Hughes in the Martin Scorsese–helmed biopic. Critics applauded DiCaprio for his performance as the aerospace engineer, and he earned a nomination for best actor. He lost to Ray’s Jamie Foxx.
Danny Archer in ‘Blood Diamond’
Two years after his nomination for The Aviator, Leonardo DiCaprio received a nod for his starring role in Blood Diamond. The actor played gunrunner and Angola War veteran Danny Archer, who went to jail for trying to smuggle diamonds into Liberia. Forest Whitaker ended up taking home the trophy for his performance as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.
Jordan Belfort in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’
Following snubs for The Departed, Inception and Django Unchained, Leonardo DiCaprio came back with a powerful performance in The Wolf of Wall Street, which was also directed by Martin Scorsese. DiCaprio portrayed real-life stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who made a fortune during the penny-stock scam in 1999 before going to prison.
The Wolf of Wall Street was up for Best Picture as well, meaning DiCaprio had an additional chance to take home the coveted Oscar for his work as an executive producer. However, the best actor award went to Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club, while 12 Years a Slave won Best Picture during the 2014 ceremony.
Hugh Glass in ‘The Revenant’
Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed real-life frontiersman Hugh Glass in the western drama. After five nominations, DiCaprio received his first-ever Oscar for his performance.
“Thank you, thank you all so very much. Thank you to the Academy, thank you to all of you in this room,” he said in his 2016 speech. “I have to congratulate the other incredible nominees this year for their unbelievable performances. The Revenant was a product of the tireless efforts of an unbelievable cast and crew I got to work alongside.”
While accepting his award, DiCaprio also advocated for combating climate change.
“Making The Revenant was about man’s relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history,” he reflected. “Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.”
Rick Dalton in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’
Four years after taking home his first Oscar, Leonardo DiCaprio was nominated for his role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. DiCaprio played fading TV star Rick Dalton as he grappled with how the industry was changing during the late ’60s. His character also lived next door to a fictionalized version of actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who in real life was murdered by the Manson Family during the movie’s time period. DiCaprio lost the Oscar to Joaquin Phoenix for his titular performance in Joker.
Bob Ferguson in ‘One Battle After Another’
Leonardo DiCaprio earned his eighth Oscar nomination for his role in One Battle After Another. The actor played Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary who left the life behind to care for the daughter of his ex Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor).
DiCaprio is nominated for best actor alongside Marty Supreme’s Timothée Chalamet, Blue Moon’s Ethan Hawke, Sinners’ Michael B. Jordan and The Secret Agent’s Wagner Moura.
