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by Kasey McDonald January 8, 2009 11:27 AM

DiCaprio Doesn't Fear the Reaper for Next Role

I'll probably be disowned by everyone I know for saying this, but I think Leonardo DiCaprio is overrated. By no means am I saying that he's not a decent actor -- he can hold his own -- but I've never really thought the guy could transform himself into other people. He can emote with the best of them, and the man can deliver a line, but whenever I see him onscreen, I see Leonardo DiCaprio, not whatever character he's playing. Then again, I was sitting in the very front row directly in front of the air conditioner output when I went to see Titanic, which got coincidentally frigid right about the time Jack was freezing to death in the water, which made for a seriously miserable movie experience, so maybe I have a DiCaprio mental block. Anyway, whenever Leonardo decides on a role, it's always big news, and his latest pick is no exception.

The trades are reporting that he is zeroing in on the project Beat the Reaper, a mob drama based on an upcoming novel. According to Variety, DiCaprio would play the lead, a Manhattan emergency room doctor whose life becomes complicated when a mobster recognizes him from his former life as a hit man who went into the witness protection program. The novel was written by first-time writer Josh Bazell, who was a medical intern working the night shift when publishers got into a bidding war (seven figures worth) over the manuscript. Lucky jerk. [Yeah, lucky that no one balked at the unbelievable premise that someone in witness protection from the mob would hide out in New York City. - Zach]

For his part, DiCaprio just finished work on Martin Scorsese's latest film, Shutter Island, and his production company, Appian Way, has several projects in the pipeline -- there's no timeline yet on when Beat the Reaper will make its way into his schedule. He's also up to win a Golden Globe this Sunday, furthering the notion that everyone in Hollywood (and beyond) sees something in the actor that I don't. Maybe this weekend I'll turn up the heat, rent Titanic, and give him another shot.

TAGS: Beat the Reaper, Josh Bazell, Leonardo DiCaprio

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DiCaprio Doesn't Fear the Reaper for Next Role

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