‘Immediately Struck by His Kindness’: Leonardo DiCaprio Reflects on the Impact This Late Actor Had on Him

Leonardo DiCaprio has worked steadily in the entertainment industry for decades and has encountered several celebrities. However, one star whom DiCaprio met in 2019 on the set of the film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood stood out to him because of his kindness.

“I was immediately struck by his kindness,” DiCaprio said of Luke Perry. His comments were made in a documentary titled I Am Luke Perry (via People), which focuses on Perry’s life and premature death. “Having been born and raised in Los Angeles and worked in this industry my entire life, it has, in many ways, greatly shaped who I am,” DiCaprio continued. “There was an immediate sense of excitement in seeing Luke Perry on set. It was incredible.”

Perry died in 2019 from a stroke. He was 52. Perry is remembered fondly for many roles (showing his diversity as an actor), including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Riverdale. In the ‘90s, he was considered a heartthrob, and DiCaprio recalled how “everyone was crazy about him.” Perry was also cast in Quentin Tarantino’s dark comedy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (he played the role of Wayne Maunder) in which DiCaprio starred, and the two actors interacted in a scene. It was a moment that DiCaprio remembers fondly because he admits he was “starstruck.”

“I felt this overwhelming feeling of being starstruck,” DiCaprio recalled “But then he and I got to sit down and talk about Los Angeles, the ’90s, his life, where his career had gone, where my career had gone, where his life [had gone], my life [had gone]. I was so, struck, how do I say this, by the kindness of his character. [He was] just an incredibly generous human being.”

Although Perry would never see the result of his work on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, having died four months before it premiered, he left an impact on DiCaprio and many of his previous co-stars. At the time of his passing, DiCaprio used the platform X to share his thoughts in a short yet emotional statement. “Luke Perry was a kindhearted and incredibly talented artist. It was an honor to be able to work with him,” he wrote. “My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his loved ones.”

Upon learning of Perry’s death, many celebrities reacted and paid their respects, including Gabrielle Carteris (the pair starred alongside each other in Beverly Hills, 90210). “I am absolutely heartbroken. Luke was a tremendous force in the lives of so many,” Carteris said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly at the time. Her words echoed DiCaprio’s as she also remarked on Perry’s kindness. “He was a very sensitive soul who was kind, generous and he fought for the underdog,” she continued. “He was a strong voice and an advocate who will be so missed by all who knew him. He has left his mark – never to be forgotten …”