The Truth About Leonardo DiCaprio's Father

As far as Hollywood icons go, Leonardo DiCaprio has run the gamut on roles both on-screen and off in his decades-long career. From '90s heartthrob to vindictive plantation owner in "Django Unchained," Leo's metamorphosis is seemingly unparalleled. Yet one role he manages to play the most natural is that of the son to his father George DiCaprio who, rumor has it, he recently purchased a $7.1 million mansion for, though that hasn't been confirmed.

It's possible that Leo got his climate change advocacy gene from his dad, who has produced several documentaries on the subject in the last decade. George produced such films as "Green World Rising," "Pollinators Under Pressure," and "Power for Pollinators," in addition to his better-known series "Greensburg," which ran in 2008 (per IMDb).

So, why has George DiCaprio, a fairly low-key film producer, been in the headlines so much? What has the Hollywood father been up to lately?

How do you get a 78-year-old man to make an acting debut in a major motion picture? Apparently, Paul Thomas Anderson has the answers because he did just that with his latest film "Licorice Pizza," which includes a cameo by George DiCaprio. Kyle Buchanan of The New York Times shared on Twitter some "outtakes" from his interview with Anderson that outlined exactly how the director got Leonardo DiCaprio's dad to make the leap to actor.

"I created a picture of a guy who owned a wig shop that sold these water beds, and I couldn't put my finger on it," Anderson told Buchanan. I kept saying, 'Who do I know that looks like this?' And like a bolt of lightning, I remember, like, 'Leo's dad looks exactly like this.' So I tracked him down, asked him if he'd ever be interested in being in a film. He said, 'Sure.' I explained the scenario to him. He said, 'Sounds great. Did Leo tell you that I owned a water bed company?' It was called Foggy Bottom."

To make this random happenstance even more random, Screen Rant points out that Anderson has never made a movie with Leo DiCaprio. Though People points out that Leo often brings either his father George or mother Irmelin to awards shows, so it is possible that a personal connection between Anderson and George DiCaprio led to this particular casting choice.

While Leonardo DiCaprio might not have any biological children, it doesn't quell his fatherly instincts for the dogs in his life. During a recent segment of Entertainment Weekly's "Around the Table," the actor revealed a nearly devastating moment during recent filming (via Yahoo).

Leonardo — alongside his "Don't Look Up" costars Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Tyler Perry, Jonah Hill, and director Adam McKay — told ET that he had to save his dogs from freezing water. "Basically they both fell in a frozen lake," he said. "I didn't understand what you do in a frozen lake." This isn't Leo's first water rescue as the star was seen saving a man who fell off a yacht into the water near St. Barts in 2019, per Page Six. Clearly, Leonardo has the instincts to play dad offstage, only time will tell if George DiCaprio will play the role of grandfather anytime soon.