'The ultimate compliment': Leonardo DiCaprio celebrates Oscar nomination
Leonardo DiCaprio has hailed One Battle After Another's 13 Oscar nominations - including his own Best Actor nod - as "the ultimate compliment".
Leonardo DiCaprio has hailed One Battle After Another's 13 Oscar nominations as "the ultimate compliment".
The 51-year-old star - who has scored his sixth Best Actor Academy Awards nod for his work on the movie - is very proud of the film and writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson's work so he feels the recognition is justified and he hopes the black comedy thriller is remembered for "years to come".
He reflected to Deadline: "That is the ultimate compliment for this film.
"Having watched the film that way a multitude of times myself, I feel it’s a testament to the incredible amount of thought that Paul put into this story.
"When films take on a different meaning or a different pathos, you feel you can take a side road into any of these small characters’ lives because they are all so fully fulfilled and hashed out with real identities.
"To me, it really is original filmmaking and a really multifaceted world, about a subject that is so pertinent to the world we’re living in, and the confusion of the world we’re living in, and the hostility and the extremism. Paul made one of those films that I’m going to be so proud to look back. I feel like he really put his thumb on the pulse of America right now.
"I hope it will be remembered that way, and lives on for years to come. And it’s all a testament to Paul’s writing and what he wanted to say about who we are right now.”
While Leonardo and his co-stars Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor were all shortlisted for their work on the film, Chase Infiniti didn't receive a nomination but the Titanic actor is still "proud" of her work and thinks she provided the "heart and soul" of One Battle After Another.
He said: “Chase was the heart and soul of this movie. And she’s going to have an incredible career ahead of her.
"She really carried this film, especially it being her first role in a feature film. I couldn’t have been more proud of her and the integrity and the intensity and the leadership that she brought to that character.
"As for the others, what can I say? I got to work with an all-star cast. I was incredibly fortunate to work with so many people that I’ve looked up to for years in this industry, and it was an incredible experience."
Leonardo has found it easy to promote the movie because he is so passionate about it.
He said: "To work on this film with Paul and just to collaborate on a film that just feels so topical, man, it’s unbelievable.
“It has been so cool to be a part of this band, when you go out in the world and are able to talk about a film that you’re truly proud of. With actors that you’re so proud to work with and a story that you feel is important.
"We’ve been doing it for the past year, and there’s an ease to talking about something that you have such a genuine love and pride for. And that’s how I feel about this movie.”
