Leonardo DiCaprio Almost Became Prince of Salem But Had to Say No Despite Impressing ‘Hocus Pocus’ Director With His Audition, The Latter Called His Agents & Said, “You’re Murdering Me, Here”
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, but there was a time when he almost turned down a role that could have made him a star even sooner.
In a recent interview, Kenny Ortega, the director of the Disney film Hocus Pocus, revealed that DiCaprio auditioned for the role of Max Dennison, which eventually went to Omri Katz.
Ortega said that DiCaprio was "great" in the audition and that he was "very impressed" with the young actor. However, DiCaprio's agents eventually informed Ortega that he had decided to pass on the role.
Ortega was disappointed with DiCaprio's decision, but he understood. He said that DiCaprio was "a very busy young man" at the time and that he had "a lot of other opportunities" coming his way.
"I called his agents and said, 'You're murdering me, here,'" Ortega joked.
Despite passing on the role of Max Dennison, DiCaprio went on to have a successful career in Hollywood. He has starred in numerous hit films, including Titanic, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Inception.
He has also won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Revenant.
While it's interesting to think about what might have been if DiCaprio had starred in Hocus Pocus, it's clear that he made the right decision for his career. He is now one of the most respected and successful actors in the world.
