After his critically-acclaimed performances in This Boy's Life (1993) and What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Leonardo DiCaprio quickly gained a reputation for playing tormented young men in such films as The Basketball Diaries (1995), Total Eclipse (1995), and William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1996). His boyish good looks and sensitive, troubled persona made DiCaprio a favorite of young women. Starring in the romantic tragedy Titanic (1997), which grossed more money than any film ever had before, broadened DiCaprio's popularity even further.

Further Reading:

Bego, Mark. Leonardo DiCaprio: Romantic Hero. Kansas City, Andrews & McMeel, 1998.

Catalano, Grace. Leonardo: A Scrapbook in Words and Pictures. New York, Dell, 1998.

——. Leonardo DiCaprio: Modern-Day Romeo. New York, Bantam Books, 1997.

Krulik, Nancy. Leonardo DiCaprio: A Biography. New York, Arch-way/Pocket Books, 1998.

Looseleaf, Victoria. Leonardo: Up Close and Personal. New York, Ballantine, 1998.