Leonardo DiCaprio on what Martin Scorsese has taught him as an actor

The pair have worked together on six films in total

Many of Leonardo DiCaprio’s greatest performances have been delivered under the guidance of Martin Scorsese.

The pair have a total of five collaborations thus far, with a sixth officially on the way.

DiCaprio has previously attributed Scorsese, who turned 80 this week, with helping his evolution as an actor.

Speaking ahead of their forthcoming project, Killers of the Flower Moon, the Oscar-winning star reflected upon his experiences working with the filmmaker, praising his talents and revealing what he has learnt under his tutelage. 

“As a young actor standing beside him during the creative process of making a movie, I discovered that, just like a painting, a sculpture, music or theatre, film was just as essential, relevant [and], as a matter of fact, the most integral art form of our time,” DiCaprio said while presenting the GoodFellas director with the inaugural Robert Osborne Award at the TCM Classic Film Festival in 2018.

“I felt I could truly own the term artist by working alongside him.”

The actor, who first collaborated with Scorsese on 2002 film Gangs of New York, stated that “no one is more knowledgeable, more committed, or draws more inspiration from the film art” than the director.

He added: “There is almost no aspect of his life, creative or personal, where he doesn’t reference the history of movies.”

DiCaprio also starred in The Aviator, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street and The Departed, which won Scorsese his first Oscar for Best Director. 

Martin Scorsese turned 80 this week (AFP via Getty Images)

Scorsese’s most recent film was Netflix gangster epic The Irishman starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.

DiCaprio will star alongside De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone and Brendan Fraser in Scorsese’s next film, an adaptation of David Grann’s book Killers of the Flower Moon, which is expected to premiere at Cannes Film Festival in May 2023.