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Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt Were Luke Perry’s Ultimate Fanboys

Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

It’s universally acknowledged that Luke Perry, who died earlier this year following a stroke, was one of the kindest, most generous souls inhabiting the brutal hellscape known as Hollywood, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt want to make sure you don’t forget it. Because, what do you know, these boys are the stealth co-presidents of the Luke Perry Fan Club! Speaking with Esquire about working together in Quentin Tarantino’s newest film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the duo’s conversation briefly turned to Perry’s involvement, who appeared in a supporting capacity as a fictitious actor. As it turns out, Perry was an early childhood idol for both of them. “I remember my friend Vinny, who is in the film as well,” DiCaprio recalled, “we walked in and we both had this butterfly moment of like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Luke Perry over there!’”

“That’s Luke fucking Perry! We were like kids in the candy shop because I remember going to the studios and Beverly Hills, 90210 was going on and he was that icon of coolness for us as teenagers,” Pitt added. “It was this strange burst of excitement that I had, to be able to act with him. Man, he was so incredibly humble and amazing and absolutely committed. He couldn’t have been a more friendly, wonderful guy to spend time with. I got to sit down and have some wonderful conversations with him. It was really special.” Now, we only need to know if Perry checked in with Pitt’s kids.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt Were Luke Perry’s Fanboys