Leonardo DiCaprio had already gained recognition for his role in 1993’s What’s Eating Gilbert Grape with Mary Steenburgen when he was selected for a part in James Cameron’s Titanic.
However, Reilly, now 61, confessed that he had urged DiCaprio to abandon the iconic film in favor of joining him in Paul Thomas Anderson’s film Boogie Nights, which is set in the porn industry. He criticized Titanic as a dull project, arguing that audiences were already aware of the film’s conclusion.
Reilly remarked, “During the time we were assembling Boogie Nights, the idea of being associated with porn was seen as controversial. It’s hard to imagine now, but you might recall.”
“Actors, their managers, and agents reacted strongly against it, saying, ‘Porn? No way.’ And there was a scene featuring male nudity, which added to their reluctance.”
He further explained that Anderson was eager for DiCaprio to take on the role of Dirk Diggler in the provocative movie, a role that eventually went to Mark Wahlberg.
Reilly stated, “Before Mark was chosen, Paul was very keen on having Leo DiCaprio play the part.”
“Having worked with Mary and Leo on What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, I was familiar with Leo. I met him when he was 17, and I told Paul, ‘Let me handle it. I’ve known him since he was a kid; I’ll get him to do your movie.’
