The Trials and Tribulations of Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born on the 11th of November 1974 in Los Angeles California to Irmelin and George DiCaprio. He received his first name after swiftly kicking his mother from her womb as she admired a Leonardo DaVinci painting in the Uffiz.

Irmelin (German), was a legal secretary and George (Italian) produced underground comic books and comic arts out of his garage. Leo admits that because he was so close to his mother and father, both of their backgrounds had a major influence on his upbringing. "Whatever I did would be something they'd already done. I mean, my dad would welcome it if I got a nose ring.". He remembers such household guests as comic-book artist Robert Crumb, writer Charles Bukowski, and novelist Hubert Selby, Jr. visiting as a child. "We're not the hippie family who only eats organic and the children meditate and go to a school of the arts. But we're not apple-pie and Republican, either."

What the family lacked in finances, they definately made up in love support and encouragement. Leo explined in Details magazine, "My parents never focused on the fact that we were poor. They took me to museums. They showed me art and they read to me."

Leo was educated at the Center for Enriched Studies and John Marshall High School, both in LA. Although it is obvious tat Leo is extremely gifted, he did have problems at school as he bluntly admits, "I didnt fit in with the people at school. Junior high was my total insecurity phase". To cover up, Leonardo became class clownm cracking jokes instead of the books. "I was frustrated at school. I wasnt happily learning things. I know its up to you to a degree, but a lot of the times school is just so boring. Its hard for a kid to learn in that environment." Leo even admits that he often cheated in school, esspecially in math.

Continue . . .