DiCaprio Explains Why He'll Never Direct Movies

Many accomplished performers eventually try their hand at directing, but Leonardo DiCaprio has no plans to make that career move. Despite collaborating with some of cinema's finest filmmakers, particularly Martin Scorsese, the Hollywood star has firmly rejected any notion of directing because he believes he could never match Scorsese's exceptional abilities.

"Some people have asked me if I wanted to direct. I'm like, 'I would never want to direct.' I could never do anything close to what Martin Scorsese does. Why would I do that?"

His reasoning makes sense, considering Scorsese's legendary status in filmmaking. Fans won't be disappointed though, as the pair are set to work together for a seventh time on an upcoming adaptation of "What Happens at Night."

The Actor Wishes He'd Watched More Closely

Though DiCaprio has ruled out directing, he admits to having some regrets about his collaborative experiences with Scorsese. Throughout their extensive partnership, the actor focused so intensely on his own performances that he missed opportunities to study the master director's techniques.

After completing six films together, with their seventh project beginning production next February, DiCaprio acknowledges he was too absorbed in his acting responsibilities to fully appreciate Scorsese's directorial process.

"I've been so focused on what I've been doing [laughs] as an actor; you make these decisions, you play these characters, you try to get into the depth of their soul as much as you possibly can. I would have loved to be much more of a voyeur, to watch what you do behind the camera"

Their Creative Process Continues

DiCaprio doesn't rely on method acting techniques, but he does spend months in deep discussions with Scorsese about character development. This same approach is being used for their upcoming Apple production "What Happens at Night," which will also star Jennifer Lawrence.

The "Titanic" actor describes these extended conversations as essential to understanding each role, calling their preparation for this latest collaboration particularly meaningful.

"I think [our process of] working together is the ability to almost have a debate for months… lots of questions, lots of playing devil's advocate about a way to approach things that may not be the most obvious direction. We're doing that on the new film now, and it's been absolutely one of the most profound learning experiences."

While this experience might eventually inspire DiCaprio to reconsider directing, for now audiences can look forward to another outstanding collaboration between these two cinema legends. No release date has been announced for "What Happens at Night."