Being Leonardo DiCaprio means playing by your own rules: selecting projects like a jeweler picks stones and collaborating for years only with those who are worthy. But even the most selective experience mishaps. And for Leo, one such mishap involved fake mustaches.
Not just any mustache, but "terrible, long ones that went in his mouth," which he absolutely hated while filming Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood.
Sian Grigg, the makeup artist who worked with DiCaprio since The Revenant, shared this story with a hint of amusement. For the spaghetti western-style scenes, she created mustaches for Rick Dalton (Leo's character) that were as authentic as possible for a 1970s look. Too authentic.
"I had to leave it really long, and it always went in his mouth," Grigg revealed.
In the heat and makeup, DiCaprio kept spitting and growing frustrated with both the mustache and the wig, which was too long and kept falling over his face.
"Unfortunately, life imitates art, and the true superstar began to despise his fake makeup," shares FarOut Magazine.
His frustration even reached such a point that, in one scene where his character "loses control," Leo was simply… himself.
Quentin Tarantino wasn't bothered: for him, everything worked with the style and authenticity of the era. The mustaches were the kind that might be glued on during a cheap TV western. This only infuriated DiCaprio even more: his face was hidden under the wig, the beard, and his irritation, while the laughter of his co-stars only added fuel to the fire.
The trailer became a confessional. The actor would retreat there, trying not to look in the mirror. And although the "cowboy on the edge" appearance was absolutely right for the era, Leo looked as though he had been forced to shoot a cheap commercial for free.
But, as often happens, suffering paid off. On screen, the perfect portrayal of a man who had lost his status and control. Behind the scenes, a prime example of how to immerse yourself in a role —even if it drives you crazy.
