Overview

• Hawke said in an interview published Monday that he was relieved Leonardo DiCaprio played Jack Dawson, adding of DiCaprio’s fame, “He was a f---ing Beatle.”
• The actor auditioned for Titanic in the 1990s, but the part went to DiCaprio as the film went on to win 11 Oscars and become a global box-office phenomenon.
• Hawke said he never identified as a movie star and called tabloid attention humiliating, citing the scrutiny during his relationship and split with Uma Thurman.
• Despite passing on that level of celebrity, Hawke has sustained an acclaimed career with multiple Oscar nominations, including for Training Day and Boyhood.
• Coverage of his remarks dovetails with renewed interest in Titanic casting lore, including anecdotes highlighted in producer Jon Landau’s posthumous memoir.