Leonardo DiCaprio's First Onscreen Kiss Was With a Man

Long before Jack and Rose locked lips on the bow of the Titanic, a young Leonardo DiCaprio shared his first cinematic kiss with someone unexpected: David Thewlis, the British actor who would later become famous as Professor Lupin in the Harry Potter films.

The moment happened in Total Eclipse (1995), a biographical drama about the tumultuous relationship between French poets Arthur Rimbaud (DiCaprio) and Paul Verlaine (Thewlis). At just 20 years old, DiCaprio took on the challenging role of the rebellious teenage poet in a film that didn't shy away from depicting their passionate affair.

"That's Really Hard for Me"

In a candid 1995 interview with Movieline, DiCaprio admitted the kissing scenes were difficult. "I don't have a problem with doing a film about a relationship of love with another man. That's just acting, you know what I mean?" he explained. "But as far as the kissing stuff, that's really hard for me, I'm not kidding."

He continued: "But I've faced the fact that I'm gonna have to do it, and I'm gonna do it because I supposedly loved the guy." DiCaprio's honesty about his discomfort, paired with his commitment to the role, showed early signs of the serious actor he would become.

A Bold Career Choice

Total Eclipse was a risky project for a rising star. DiCaprio had just earned critical acclaim for What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and could have coasted on safer, more commercial roles. Instead, he chose an art-house film about 19th-century poets that featured explicit same-sex scenes.

The film itself wasn't a box office hit, but it demonstrated DiCaprio's willingness to take creative risks. Director Agnieszka Holland praised his fearlessness in tackling such mature material at a young age.

Just two years later, DiCaprio would become a global superstar with Titanic (1997), where his kiss with Kate Winslet became one of cinema's most iconic romantic moments. But that famous bow scene wasn't actually as magical behind-the-scenes—Winslet later revealed she was constantly out of breath because her corset was so tight, and DiCaprio kept laughing during takes.

The Thewlis Connection

David Thewlis was already an established actor when he worked with DiCaprio, having won critical acclaim for Naked (1993). Their age difference—Thewlis was 32 to DiCaprio's 20—mirrored the real-life dynamic between Verlaine and Rimbaud, adding authenticity to their performances.

Years later, Thewlis would achieve widespread recognition playing the gentle werewolf professor in the Harry Potter series, making this early collaboration with DiCaprio an interesting piece of both actors' histories.

DiCaprio's first kiss might not have been with a leading lady, but it set the tone for a career defined by bold choices, challenging roles, and a refusal to be typecast. From French poets to con artists to frontiersmen, he's proven willing to go wherever the character demands—even if it makes him uncomfortable.