Why James Cameron Almost Fired Leonardo DiCaprio On Set

🎬🚢 James Cameron nearly fired Leonardo DiCaprio before filming Titanic. When asked to do a screen test, DiCaprio reportedly shrugged and said, “I don’t read.” Cameron shook his hand and told him, “Thanks for coming by,” making it clear he was ready to move on. The director then laid down the law, explaining that this massive film would consume two years of his life and he wasn’t about to risk it with the wrong casting choice. Cameron’s blunt ultimatum was simple: read for the part, or lose the role that would turn DiCaprio into a global superstar. 🌍⭐

WATCH:

James Cameron almost fired Leonardo DiCaprio from Titanic because he was too cocky.

Leo insisted not to do screen test on camera. He said “I don’t read.”

“I shook his hand and said, ‘Thanks for coming by.”

“This is a giant movie that is going to take two years of my life, and… pic.twitter.com/0HrRWIqkeW

— Emir Han (@RealEmirHan) May 12, 2026