American actor and producer Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio celebrates his 47th birthday today. DiCaprio rose to prominence in the 1990s as one of Hollywood's top performers, and is known for his portrayals of unconventional and complex characters.
He was born November 11, 1974, in Los Angeles, California, United States. DiCaprio began acting at the age of five, on the children's television show Romper Room, and went on to star in countless commercials and educational films as a teenager.
He began starring on television shows such as The New Lassie and Roseanne in 1990, and he was cast in a recurring role on Growing Pains in 1991. In the same year, DiCaprio made his big-screen debut in the low-budget horror flick Critters 3.
In 1992, DiCaprio made his breakthrough, beating out 400 other aspirants to play opposite Robert De Niro in This Boy's Life (1993).
For his realistic portrayal of a youngster with an intellectual handicap in his next film, What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), DiCaprio garnered an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. The Basketball Diaries (1995) and Total Eclipse (1995) were two indie films that focused on poet Arthur Rimbaud's homosexual romance with Paul Verlaine.
With the release of James Cameron's epic Titanic in 1997, DiCaprio became an international sensation.
As the world celebrates DiCaprio's birthday, have a look at how fans have taken to Twitter with tribute posts and wishes:
