Marlon Brando wanted a role

Marlon Brando was initially interested in playing Father Laurence but he walked away due to “personal family problems” surrounding his son. But even before then, he had some reservations about DiCaprio.

Luhrmann revealed: “He said he saw Leonardo in [What’s Eating] ‘Gilbert Grape’. He asked, ‘Why is it you are going to cast a young man who is not entirely in control of his mental facilities?’ So Leonardo had him believing that he wasn’t all that balanced.”