In Body of Lies, Russell Crowe is alone in most of his scenes, so at the premiere on Sunday his castmates were unable regale us with tales of phone-throwing temper tantrums. However, we did get delicious insight into the notoriously private Leonardo DiCaprio’s off-screen antics. While everyone involved in the movie swore that DiCaprio didn’t preach about environmental issues (“He doesn’t proselytize about anything, but he was very happy when I bought a hybrid. Put it that way,” said screenwriter William Monahan), it seems Titanic’s Jack Dawson is a talented mimic. Monahan loved his Nicholson impression best but said that DiCaprio does everybody equally well. Michael Gaston remembers DiCaprio’s imitation of director Ridley Scott. French actor Mehdi Nebbou burst out laughing at the thought of — wait for it — DiCaprio’s impression of Nicole Kidman, which he describes as both a physical and vocal impersonation. Oscar Isaac says DiCaprio does a “great, great” Denzel Washington. “I don’t want to get him in trouble, but it was very funny. I’m sure Denzel would love it,” Isaac said, laughing. “It really makes him a badass.”
Ridley Scott’s favorite DiCaprio impression? “He took the piss out of me regularly with a very good impersonation of me,” the director told us. Scott says his longtime collaborator Russell Crowe also mimics him. “I’m getting very fed up with it,” Scott said. “I’m actually trying to change my Durham accent, to say you got that wrong, it’s not funny,” the Brit added.
When Leo himself finally arrived at the red carpet, he told us he considers Jack Nicholson to be his specialty. But, sadly, his publicist dragged him away when we asked to see his Nicole Kidman. “I can’t right now. I’ve got work to do,” he told us.
