Happy birthday, Leonardo DiCaprio!
The Oscar-winning actor turns 51 years old on November 11, 2025.
In his decades in the industry, dating back to his years on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains, he has grown in front of the camera, earning leading role status at a young age before transitioning to the ultimate emotional role in Titanic, and is now an award-winning actor.
As we celebrate DiCaprio’s big day, take a look at some of his early vintage photos.
Oh boy
Darlene Hammond/Getty Images
In 1989, 15-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio looked as fresh as ever as he posed for a photo and flashed a half-smile.
tv star
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Television/Photos International/Getty Images
Before gaining attention on the big screen, DiCaprio appeared in Growing Pain as a teenager, playing the younger brother Ben on the hit TV series.
early days
NBCU Photobank/Getty
A young DiCaprio showed off his acting skills when he co-starred with Marydith Burrell in Parenthood.
ball play
Vinny Zufante/Getty
Ah, that awkward phase. Leo was photographed attending MTV’s 2nd Annual Rock ‘n’ Jock Be Ball Jam, a celebrity charity basketball game held at Pauley Pavilion in Westwood, California in 1992.
hello handsome
Rose Hartman/Archive Photos/Getty Images
DiCaprio established himself as an A-list teen dreamboat early on. No one did this well in those floppy ’90s.
hang out
Ron Galera Co., Ltd./WireImage
DiCaprio was pictured with his 1993 What’s Eating Gilbert Grape co-star Johnny Depp at an event for the film, which won critical acclaim from the young actor and earned him his first Oscar nomination.
close connection
LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock
His first romance was rumored to be with model Bridget Hall. Although neither of them has admitted that they are dating, they were seen together in 1994.
movie friends
Charbonneau/BEI/BEI/Shutterstock
The rising star headed to the Oscar Governor’s Ball in 1994 and posed alongside fellow actor Elijah Wood.
20 Something
Walter McBride/Corbis, via Getty
As soon as he turned 20, DiCaprio began his film career in earnest.
mama’s boy
Richard Corkery/New York Daily News Archive (via Getty Images)
Known for being close with his family, DiCaprio regularly invites his mother Irmelin to red carpet events and movie afterparties, including when he brought her son to an event for Total Eclipse in 1996.
young love
Ron Galera Collection (via Getty)
At the Romeo + Juliet premiere, DiCaprio brought model and then-girlfriend Kristen Zen as his date.
please come with me
Steve Granitz/WireImage
In 1996, DiCaprio co-starred with fellow Hollywood heavyweight Claire Danes in Romeo + Juliet. The film catapulted the swoon-worthy actor to superstardom.
Oh, Romeo!
20th Century Fox/Everett
It’s easy to see why Juliet fell in love with DiCaprio’s Romeo at first sight.
Heart Will Go On And On
20th Century Fox/Everett
The following year, James Cameron’s blockbuster Titanic established DiCaprio as a generational star, catapulting him from stardom into the stratosphere.
partner in crime
Hal Garb/AFP/Getty Images
DiCaprio and his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet (pictured at the 1998 Golden Globe Awards) have remained close over the years. The actor also walked down the aisle at his 2012 wedding with a friend in tow.
serious business
United Artists/Getty Images
Let’s get back to work! The actor looked pensive while filming a scene for 1998’s The Man in the Iron Mask.
life is a beach
20th Century – Fox/Getty Images
Leo was photographed relaxing while filming The Beach in the early 2000s.
