Claire Danes Confirms She Turned Down 'Titanic' Opposite Leonardo DiCaprio & Doesn't Regret It At All
Claire Danes is recalling turning down the lead role in Titanic opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, just after they had wrapped filming Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet together.
She was asked if it was true while appearing on Dax Shepard‘s podcast.
“I think I did. I’m not entirely clear on that. There was strong interest, but honestly, like, I’d just made this romantic epic with Leo in Mexico City, which is where they were going to shoot Titanic, and I just didn’t have it in me. And I remember, Leo and I shared a manager at the time, and we were there at the office. I was on a balcony, which is funny [because of Romeo + Juliet]… and Leo had this rental red convertible, some, like, hot rod-dy car. And he was kinda going in circles in the parking lot. And I knew he was wrestling with the decision to do that movie or not and he just looked up at me, and he said, ‘I’m doing it. I’m doing it.’ And I could see he wasn’t sure, but he was like, f*** it, I gotta do this thing.’ And I looked down on him going, like, I totally understand why you are doing it. And I’m not ready for that,” Claire explained.
Claire didn’t regret the decision at the time, and the role ultimately went to Kate Winslet. The movie became a smash hit.
“I remember I went to the premiere of The Man in the Iron Mask [in 1998], and when he walked into the room, the floor fell in his direction,” she continued. “Everybody in the room just went towards him. And it was a little scary. I think I may have sensed I was courting that, and I just couldn’t do it.” She added that she had “zero regret” about the decision.
Leonardo was finally asked if he would have fit on that Titanic door and here’s what he said in response!