Leonardo DiCaprio Reveals the Most Extreme & Worst Thing He’s Done for a Role

In a recent interview with Timeout, Leonardo DiCaprio opened up about the most extreme thing he has ever done for a movie role.

Talking about his work in the 2015 film The Revenant, DiCaprio admitted, “I did [eat raw liver]. Because the fake liver they gave me didn’t look real … I was sitting there eating a big piece of Play-Doh. I had to give it a shot. But I only did it twice, and my reaction is up on screen. That’s instinct.”

The Revenant, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, tells the story of frontiersman Hugh Glass, played by DiCaprio, as he survives harsh wilderness conditions and seeks revenge after being left for dead.

The film also stars Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, and Will Poulter. It is based on Michael Punke’s 2002 novel of the same name, which recounts Glass’s experiences in 1823.

Critics widely praised DiCaprio’s performance. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 78% approval rating from 401 reviews, with the consensus reading, “As starkly beautiful as it is harshly uncompromising, The Revenant uses Leonardo DiCaprio’s committed performance as fuel for an absorbing drama that offers punishing challenges—and rich rewards.”

Metacritic gave it a score of 76 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. Audiences agreed, giving it a B+ on CinemaScore, while PostTrak reported 85% positive ratings.

DiCaprio’s portrayal earned him his first Academy Award for Best Actor. Tom Hardy was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Reviewers described DiCaprio’s work as extraordinary, with CBS News calling it an “astonishing testament to his commitment to a role” and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone describing it as “a virtuoso performance, thrilling in its brute force and silent eloquence.”

Time magazine also praised the actor, writing, “DiCaprio simply endures. He gives the movie a beating heart, offering it up, figuratively speaking, alive and bloody on a platter. He is the most visceral effect in the movie: revenge served warm. Bon appetit.”

While most responses were positive, some critics were less enthusiastic. Variety noted that Iñárritu sometimes succumbed to “grim overdetermination” in the storytelling. The New Yorker criticized the visuals as decorative rather than meaningful. Despite the mixed opinions, The Revenant remains highly regarded and was ranked 22nd on Metacritic’s and 79th on Rotten Tomatoes’ lists of the best films of 2015.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s dedication to authenticity in The Revenant shows the lengths he is willing to go for his craft. Eating raw liver for the sake of a scene might seem extreme, but it helped create one of the most memorable performances of his career.

What do you think about actors taking extreme measures for movie roles? Share your thoughts in the comments.