Washington

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has said he has no intention of stepping behind the camera as a film director, citing his deep admiration for legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese and expressing doubt that he could ever match the veteran director’s cinematic mastery.

DiCaprio made the remarks during a public conversation with Scorsese at the A Year in TIME event in New York City, where the two reflected on their long-standing creative partnership and collaborative process.

Responding to questions about directing, the Oscar-winning actor said he had never been inclined to pursue it. “People have asked me if I want to direct, but I don’t see myself doing that,” DiCaprio said, adding that he could never come close to achieving what Scorsese does as a filmmaker.

While ruling out directing, DiCaprio looked back on his career as an actor and acknowledged that he sometimes wished he had spent more time observing the filmmaking process from behind the camera, particularly during his collaborations with Scorsese.

He explained that his focus as an actor has always been on fully inhabiting his characters, but admitted he would have liked to be more of an observer on set to better understand how scenes come together from a director’s perspective.

DiCaprio also spoke about the unique nature of his collaboration with Scorsese, noting that their films involve months of discussion and preparation before shooting begins. He said their creative process often includes extensive debate, questioning and challenging ideas to explore unconventional approaches to storytelling.

Calling the experience deeply enriching, DiCaprio described working with Scorsese as one of the most meaningful learning journeys of his career. He also recalled being introduced to Scorsese’s films at a young age by his father, who encouraged him to aspire to work with filmmakers of that calibre.

DiCaprio and Scorsese first teamed up in 2002 with Gangs of New York and have since collaborated on several acclaimed films, including The Aviator, The Departed and Killers of the Flower Moon.

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Their seventh collaboration, titled What Happens at Night, is currently in production. The film, an adaptation of Peter Cameron’s novel, will feature DiCaprio alongside Jennifer Lawrence, according to reports.