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There aren’t many Hollywood directors who would think twice before casting someone as iconic and renowned as Leonardo DiCaprio in their films. And then there’s Mary Harron, who wasn’t even willing to meet up with the Academy Award winner, let alone pick him for her $34.4 million project.
Despite being released over two decades ago, Harron’sAmerican Psychois still hailed as a cinematic masterpiece, ingrained with the most impeccable combination of satire and psychological thrill. Not to mention, Christian Bale’s stellar performance as the wealthy but deranged Patrick Bateman brought the entirety of the film together. Needless to say, Bale’s striking delivery of the character was indeed the binding element.
So, in hindsight, Harron’s decision not to cast theTitanicstar was probably for the best. But it certainly didn’t sit right with other entities, so much so that the Canadian filmmaker got fired for it.
Related:“I just didn’t think he was right for it”: American Psycho Director Fought to Keep Christian Bale Over Leonardo DiCaprio Despite Latter’s Teenage Girl Fanbase After Titanic
American Psycho‘s Director Was Fired for Not Casting Leonardo DiCaprio
Before Bale, 49, portrayed the legendary character of Patrick Bateman in the 2000 cult classic, Lionsgate Films, the studio attached to the project, wantedLeonardo DiCaprioto take over the role. But Mary Harron knew for a fact that theAmsterdamstar would be the perfect fit for it. And though she was right, because nobody could’ve possibly depicted the delusional Wall Street serial killer as immaculately asChristian Baledid, Harron had to face some serious repercussions for not keeping the studio happy.
AfterThe Moth Diariesdirector refused to even entertain the idea of castingThe Wolf of Wall Streetstar as Patrick Bateman, Lionsgate fired her, albeit briefly because she was re-hired soon after that stint. But she had her reasons for not going ahead with DiCaprio; While Harron was aware of the actor’s irresistible charisma, she fretted that he would end up imparting a more“sympathetic”edge to the character which would ultimately demolish the real essence of the script.
“I knew I would find him charming, and then I would find myself getting into doing it with him,”the 70-year-old screenwriter said.“You have to trust your instinct, or else it’s going to be a disaster. They would change the script and attempt to make the character more sympathetic, and it was just going to lose anything it really had.”
Well, she wasn’t wrong either because if she hadn’t stuck with her gut feeling thenAmerican Psychoprobably wouldn’t have had the imprint that it did on the audience. Besides, DiCaprio wasn’t exactly crestfallen over losing the role either.
Related:“His body is the pinnacle of masculinity”: Christian Bale’s Brutal Workout Routine For ‘American Psycho’ That’s Taking the Internet By Storm to Achieve Patrick Bateman Physique
Leonardo DiCaprio Wasn’t Bothered About LosingAmerican Psycho
American Psycho, at its core, is a reflection of the darkest parts of modern society that get shrouded beneath all the supposedly normal aspects of the world; it’s a treasure trove, even, of blood lust, insanity, and lascivious desires that people bury deep within themselves. But turns out, that wasn’t somethingThe Revenantstar was particularly intrigued by.
While DiCaprio“sort of expressed interest”in the movie’s script, he realized it simply wasn’t what he’d been looking for.“Eventually, I realized it [American Psycho) didn’t amount to anything and didn’t mean anything in the end,”he toldThe Morning Call. Looks like it was a win-win for both parties.
American Psychocan be streamed on Netflix.
Related:“I realized it didn’t amount to anything”: Leonardo DiCaprio Refused Cult-Classic $34M Movie Starring Christian Bale for a Role That Got Him Razzie, Nearly Decimated His Career
Source:Vice
Khushi Shah
Articles Published :857
With a prolific knowledge of everything pop culture and a strong penchant for writing, Khushi has penned over 700 articles during her time as an author at FandomWire.An abnormal psychology student and an fervent reader of dark fiction, her most trusted soldiers are coffee and a good book.
