What if DiCaprio had lost for "The Revenant"?
Thursday, January 9, 2020 at 6:00PM 
Oscar narratives can shape an entire awards season. More radically, they can transform the way we perceive certain films, actors and other artists. Leonardo DiCaprio is an example of the phenomenon. Until he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, the star brought with him a baggage of perceived injustice and honors long deserved but never given. He was due an Oscar, many argued, and the hysteria around his lack of one made every one of his new releases into an event – Would this be the movie to finally earn DiCaprio the Academy Award?
The Revenant (2015) was the production to eventually capitalize on all this hubbub, mounting a mighty campaign to win DiCaprio his prize. It worked and so it was that the poster boy for "Oscar dueness" lost his shine. That meant his following films wouldn't be able to take advantage of his lack of recognition and the reactions to his performances would no longer be inflated by the urgency to award him. But the next big film on DiCaprio's resume after The Revenant has proven to be an even more remarkable showcase for his talents than the production that earned him his overdue honors…
To say an actor won the Oscar for the wrong movie is a common thing, but that is particularly true in DiCaprio's case. Apart from the grueling physical demands of his character's adventure, there's little to recommend the actor's performance in The Revenant. That he won the Oscar was a matter of intelligent campaigning and fortuitous buzz, of puerile competition and a media obsessed with raw bison livers and freezing temperatures. It wasn't about the performance, but it rarely is.
Four years later, he's infinitely better in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, playing the character of fading star Rick Dalton with humiliating gusto and an intensity that can be as hilarious as it is startling. The interlude on a western's set and the coda at Sharon Tate's gate represent some of the best acting of DiCaprio's career and it's altogether bizarre to see him receive so little buzz after the mountains leaped upon him for the mediocrity of The Revenant. Now that he has an Oscar, he's no longer "overdue". Since he's no longer overdue, there's no need to celebrate his achievements so intensely, not even when they merit it.
How different this entire season would be if Michael Fassbender, for example, had won for 2015? Tarantino's latest flick would have been received as DiCaprio's glorious achievement, a sure bet for the Best Actor Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical would have been his. Brad Pitt's campaign might have even been obfuscated by his costars and both male acting races race would be incontrovertibly changed. In this alternative universe Joe Pesci might be sailing to an easy second win and, in Best Actor, we'd likely have a trio of solid locks instead of a pair of them and eight or nine actors fighting over the remaining three spots.
One wonders what the interwebs would do out of a Joker vs DiCaprio battle for the Best Actor trophy. Nothing good, probably.
Let's take it a step further. Could Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood's bid for the Best Picture Oscar be more assured if DiCaprio was frontrunner material? Perhaps this entire season would be much more predictable than it is right now, making it much less interesting, too. It all reveals how fluid and transfiguring the power of Oscar narratives can be.
What do you think would have happened to this awards season if Leonardo DiCaprio was still Oscarless?
Reader Comments (38)
Without a doubt, it shoulda been Fassbender.
God, The Revenant is an amazing piece of film. A rollicking rollercoaster of a movie borders on a spiritual meditation featuring some of the most beautiful cinematography I have seen at the movies.
During the two and a half hours or so, I held my breath, gagged, cheered, wept and thought about the meaning of my own life. The highlight was how deeply moved I was by the film's subtle discussion of race.
Like Glass, I chose a life partner of a different race, ethnicity, culture. I haven't found many movies that really capture the gritty truth of such relationships. I was overwhelmed by the message about love between two people. The intimacy of enduring passion, the bond of a shared past and future, all shown silently with great tenderness, was achingly real. Too often audiences fail to recognize the power of underplaying a role.
I’m not sure he’d be the winner this year. Phoenix looks hard to beat and if he’s likely to win in a stacked Best Actor year, it seems quite possible that he’d beat an overdue Leo in a more comedic role.
I'm not too crazy about "The Revenat" or any of Iñarritu's over rated films
Oh, wow! Now The Revenant is “mediocre” just because it’s the wrong movie for Leo’s Oscar glory... I claim some respect for Iñarritu.
The rightful winner to me wasn't nominated and that was Michael Caine in Youth and his co star Jane Fonda maybe should have had Supporting that year.
2015 was a weak year if I remember.
Fassbender to me was woefully miscast
Damon is nice and charming but it's hardly a stretch.
Cranston although a bit cartoony is solid.
DiCaprio was fine but was better many times before and will be many times after
Redmayne did try but came off a little mannered and false
The 6th spotter Depp had his moments but the weird make up was a bit pantomime.
So DiCaprio had to win as he was like you mention buzzed about as not being rewarded and it was his time.
It's criminal that he didn't win for The Wolf of Wall Street.
Apart from Leo winning over Fassbender , Winslet was wronged in 2015 for losing to a lead performance. She should've won an oscar for that “fix it Steve” scene alone.
Leo, for me, always came off as trying too hard - both to act and to win. Honestly, if he'd lost for The Revenant, I'm not sure he would have given such a solid performance in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. Now that he's won, I feel like he feels free to take more creative risks.
I personally was rooting for Michael Fassbender that year though I was happy (my dad was elated) that Leo won.
If he had lost to Eddie Redmayne, then we have a problem and my dad really didn't like Redmayne. He never got over the fact that he beat Michael Keaton.
I’m possibly the only person that doesn’t really have a problem with Leo’s win. I get why people do, as it’s not one of his best or most charismatic performances and the off putting awards campaign for the movie. But the memes about his lack of Oscar were getting too much, and the lineup was very weak that year. I’m sorry, I just don’t see Fassbender in Steve Jobs as an undeniable performance that was robbed. And I did think there was more to Leo’s performance than just physicality/suffering. I thought his attempt at a role that didn’t require much dialogue was interesting, he conveyed a lot with just his eyes at times. The movie was kind of a chore to get through but I found myself constantly engaged in what happened to him. Yeah, it sucks something like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood couldn’t be his winning performance but he’s not the first and won’t be the last actor to not win for one of their best performances. For me, The Revenant is not one of his best but it’s not one of his worst performances either. After all, he was nominated for Blood Diamond.
It’s funny because when Joaquin inevitably wins I’m going to be saying, “He should’ve won for Walk the Line, or Two Lovers, or The Master, or Her, or You Were Never Really Here...”
I’ll definitely be doing the same when Laura Dern wins, and Brad Pitt too tbh. Joaquin, Laura, and Brad are largely winning this year because “it’s their time.”
Dicaprio would have cakewalked to an Oscar this year if he hadn't won four years ago. All the noise then about how overdue he was, how great his performance was, how he deserved to have won one for his previous performances, was deafening. Four more years of build-up would have only made the media pressure to give him one now even more intense. And I agree that his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is infinitely greater than his performance in The Revenant; the greatness of his performance would only have made his win even more destined.
Well, I at least know that, if he hadn't won then (un bleeping likely, he was basically locked to win), he'd almost certainly get nomination #9 (additional noms would be for Titanic, Catch Me If You Can and Django Unchained) in my alternate "What If Acting Winners Couldn't Be Nominated Again" history for the Oscars this year. Yes, I've actually structured a big old list of how THAT could work assuming film history doesn't change utterly around it.
I'm glad he's got and Oscar because the people who wanted him to win one were particularly tiresome online.
I still don't understand why he's a lock for Once Upon a Time... I mean, he's better than Bale, but a nomination? Why?
James - I should start by saying, honestly, I don’t share your love of The Revenant, though I think Lubeski’s work is objectively outstanding. I, in fact, agree with the post in that Leo has never been better than he is in Hollywood. I would be thrilled if this was his Oscar win. However, none of that really matters in the context of why I wanted to respond to your comment.
The eloquence of your argument, in addition to the personal revelations therein, made me want to rewatch the film all over again to see how I could have missed such a powerful experience. That’s the pinnacle of film discussion - and something this Film Experience community should strive for. I hope we, on this site and elsewhere, can begin to discuss film in the way you’ve done here, with passion, both artistic and personal. Bravo.
I certainly would've rather he won for this than The Revenant. But it just never works out that way right? Kate Winslet's Oscar should've been for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Kate’s Oscar should 100% be for Eternal Sunshine.
I’d also argue The Revenant was a creative risk, regardless of one’s personal feelings about the movie. A 2 1/2 hour long revenge western in which the lead actor doesn’t speak for large portions of the movie on paper isn’t box office friendly at all.
Am I the only one who completely checks out of a Leo performance whenever he dons a Southern accent? He always ends up sounding mush-mouthed and false to my ears. I still suspect that’s the real reason he got snubbed for Django Unchained. On the flip side, I think his work as a Bostonian in The Departed is measured and nuanced in ways he’s rarely asked to be, so naturally they nominated him for Blood Diamond that year instead. I think it’s interesting he won for a mostly silent performance. I think he’s one of those actors whose voice can make or break his work.
I personally feel like a survivor of this long, desperate DiCaprio race for his Oscar. From the bottom of my heart I hope the Academy will do to him what has done to Tom Hanks: place him in the fridge for a long time. Bye, Leo.
In one alternate universe where DiCaprio lost for The Revenant, he had already won for The Wolf of Wall Street. Fassbender, who had also already won for Shame, did not win either. The Best Actor statue went to Colin Farrell for The Lobster, who was nominated in this alternate universe.
The marketing campaign for DiCaprio’s “Revenant” Oscar was magnificently executed and breathtaking in its continued relentlessness. It made you wish you had that marketing team working for you.
But if the campaign had been unsuccessful, instead of an Oscar win eliciting an occasional eye roll, it might have become a meme, an industry joke about the desperation of losers. DiCaprio’s clout might have been diminished.
So we might have had:
“Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood” is the story of Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), a war veteran who has had a series of post-war jobs. Recently he has been the stunt double for a fading TV Western star, but is now more a personal assistant, humouring and propping up his self-absorbed employer (Leonardo DiCaprio).
It’s clear this era of Cliff’s life is winding down. Cliff is quick, alert, capable, and adaptable, so he can easily transition to a new occupation. But although this phase of Cliff’s life is finishing, it’s certain it won’t be going out with a whimper...
If DiCaprio had less clout, the film editor might feel less obligated to “balance” the running time between the two “stars”, and ruthlessly trim down DiCaprio’s scenes, many of which are repetitive.
The movie would be 20 minutes shorter, and DiCaprio would be Supporting Actor, and Pitt would be Lead Actor.
And this year's award would go to Antonio Banderas, as it should.
Complaining about Winslet which won for the wrong movie, complaining about Di Caprio which won only for a good campaign... Next step? Network>Rocky?
First, I want to say: Claudio, you are a treasure. Your stories are usually insightful and well-reasoned, and always welcome.
As to the question at hand: I agree with Devin (I think that winning the Oscar freed DiCaprio; for one thing, he took like a 4-year break, and I doubt he would've done that - and come back refreshed for Once Upon a Time - had he not already won).
I'd also point out that a win for him this year wouldn't have been assured; don't underestimate voters' love of actors playing real people (especially when that real person is alive and well, sitting in the audience, and even wrote a song for the movie).
That being said, I agree with the overall point (that DiCaprio's subsequent movies won't have as much desperate awards attention surrounding them just because the "overdue" factor is no longer there). Funny enough, I also thought that way after Scorsese finally won. He also took his time to make his next movie (of course, he always takes his time; so that was nothing new). And his next few films seemed freer, looser, more enjoyable and had much less "give me an Oscar" desperation.
PP -- I'm sorry for all this perceived negativity coming from me and my pieces. To be honest, I never said Winslet won for the wrong performance. I put the question forward because I like her work in both movies, though I'd probably follow the Academy's choice and nominate her for The Reader.
Thank you for the feedback, anyway. I'm always glad to read new comments.
MJ: I feel similarly about DiCaprio's voice and accents. To me, his performance in Django Unchained doesn't work very well - except when you mute the screen, at which point it starts to work a lot better. Whereas I think he's terriic in The Wolf of Wall Street, voice included.
adri: I like your synopsis!
But despite having some doubts about some of his performances, I do like him and always enjoy watching him.
Joe Pesci ins’t gonna win because DiCaprio’s overdueness is going to fuck up Pitt’s run. BOTH of their campaigns would’ve helped one another and the film too. Pesci still loses to Pitt.
In other Phase 2 news:
Leonardo DiCaprio helps save man who fell overboard in the Caribbean
Leonardo DiCaprio to donate $3 million to help wildfire relief efforts in Australia
mark, yes! Caine should have won for Youth. So great.
The Revenant, though a slow movie, was the best acting performance from DiCaprio since Gilbert Grape. It was the first time I was not irritated by him being miscast and being too young and baby face. He was believable
So with that I think that his future roles is gonna kick ass. His is getting better with age, people
“Kill the boy and let the man be born” GOT quote is good here
Oh pleeeease, DiCaprios best Performance ever in "OUATIH"? I dont get it. Liek him as an octar, but Pitt is miles ahead of Leo this year and sorry its not Quentins best in a mile as well. Leos best perforamces are für me Wolf, Blood and Gape. But neather is the best, sadly that particulary year. 1993 Fiennes, 2005 Whitakter and 2012 McConaughey, although Maybe Leos best shot at a win. It was soooo close.
And Kates best clearly was Eternal Sunshine, but she has so memorable perforamances and should be a double winner for Steve Jobs (and Maybe für Iris, Revol. Road or Sense & Sensibilty). Sadly only for the Ready, which I really love also. Why this Performance is so underwelmed? I dont get it. She was so great in oth Rev. Road and the Reader. so its a great year füor honoring her with a first One.
And I like The Revenant also. Not his best, but the year was not so strong. Fassbender was the best, but he should have won for shame, so its okay or me.
He really should have won for "Gilbert" - a performance I will always remember as a phenomenally jaw dropping outburst of talent ... and then we wouldn't have to deal with The Revenant ! ... and Fassbender would have had his crown ... - so many woulds
He should have won for The Wolf of Wall Street (that McConnaughey win, along with Leto's, will not age well).
I thought The Revenant was like a long battle between the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. The most ridiculous things happened to Leo’s character and he wouldn’t die. I found it exhausting but as you said, the campaign was brilliant. I would’ve loved to have seen him win for The Departed (and I loved his performance in OUATIH).
Kate Winslet lost to a lead performance in 2015 but her role in The Reader was essentially supporting so she won for that. I thought she was so much better in Revolutionary Road that year.
He should have won for WHATS EATING GILBERT GRAPE, even though that was a hell of a line-up. Still find it fascinating that Mark Wahlberg got the nomination for THE DEPARTED.