Leonardo DiCaprio, the celebrated actor known for his captivating performances in a wide range of roles, has revealed that he has no plans to direct films, a decision deeply rooted in his admiration for legendary director Martin Scorsese. DiCaprio, 51, made these remarks during a conversation with Scorsese at TIME magazine's "A Year in TIME" event in New York City on December 10, 2025. The two discussed their long-standing professional relationship and creative process.
DiCaprio stated that he feels he could never match Scorsese's cinematic brilliance. He said that directing would feel redundant when measured against what he has witnessed up close for years. "Some people have asked me if I wanted to direct. I'm like, 'I would never want to direct. I could never do anything close to what Martin Scorsese does. Why would I do that?'"
The actor's connection to Scorsese began early in his life. He grew up watching Scorsese's movies and was encouraged by his father to strive to work with him. Since their first collaboration in 2002 on Gangs of New York, DiCaprio and Scorsese have forged a strong professional bond, working together on six feature films and one short film. Their collaborations include The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Audition. Their films have collectively earned 31 Academy Award nominations and nine Oscars. Their seventh movie, What Happens at Night, an adaptation of the Peter Cameron novel, is currently underway, and will star DiCaprio opposite Jennifer Lawrence.
DiCaprio has often praised Scorsese's unique creative process, noting the months of preparation and discussion that precede shooting. He described their collaborative process as involving "the ability to almost have a debate for months before and lots of questions, and lots of playing devil's advocate about a way to approach things that may not be the most obvious direction". He called his association with Scorsese "one of the most profound learning experiences".
While DiCaprio has no desire to direct, he admits to one regret: not having taken the opportunity to observe Scorsese's filmmaking process more closely. He explained that acting requires intense focus and immersion, but he wishes he had occasionally stepped back to watch the filmmaking process in full. "You play these characters; you try to get into the depth of their soul as much as you possibly can. And I would've loved to be much more of a voyeur … to watch what you (Scorsese) do behind the camera," DiCaprio said. "If I look back on anything, I would've loved to have observed that process behind the camera a lot more".
Despite not wanting to direct, DiCaprio remains deeply committed to acting. He was most recently seen in One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The actor's decision not to direct stems not from a lack of ambition, but from a profound respect for Scorsese's singular talent and a desire to continue honing his craft as an actor.
