While some actors cite Chaplin or Keaton, Leonardo DiCaprio found inspiration in a far more unexpected source for The Wolf of Wall Street: a YouTube video titled "The Drunkest Man in the World". Once in an interview, DiCaprio confessed that the now-iconic Quaalude scene was fuelled not by Hollywood greats, but by a real-life wobbly man with a singular, noble mission — getting a beer from a 7-Eleven.
He elaborated on what captivated him about the video:
"It’s not just the fact that he was sort of elasticated and trying to get up, it was his motivation that was really intriguing. He had one singular goal, one that was to get a beer out of the 7-Eleven, and it took him a half an hour".
DiCaprio was struck by the man's unwavering determination: "He was writhing around the floor. And people were watching and scratching their heads saying, 'What are you doing?' He just wouldn’t stop reaching for something that was a life-sustaining force for him."
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), directed by Martin Scorsese, follows the wild true story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. A dark comedy of greed, drugs, and outrageous excess, it tracks Belfort’s rise and crash in the corrupt world of Wall Street. With Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie in standout roles, the film became both a box office hit and an awards-season juggernaut, earning five Oscar nominations and cementing DiCaprio’s status as a fearless performer.
