Leonardo DiCaprio Reveals the On-Set Lesson From Diane Keaton He Never Forgot
Leonardo DiCaprio, fresh off being named Entertainer of the Year by Time, fondly recalls Marvin’s Room costar Diane Keaton, praising her charm and an infectious laugh that made him feel like "the funniest person on earth."
Leonardo DiCaprio just shared a surprisingly tender memory about working with Diane Keaton, and it all comes down to her laugh. It’s a simple thing, but the way he tells it, that laugh basically ran the set of their 90s drama. It’s also one of those stories that hits harder now, after her passing.
Leo on Diane Keaton: the laugh that took over the set
In his TIME Entertainer of the Year interview, DiCaprio talked at length about Keaton and what it was like being around her. The headline for him wasn’t a big on-set blowup or some secret method trick — it was her cracking up at his jokes, and how that changed the vibe of every day.
"She had the most incredible laugh... It would echo through the entire set, and she made you feel like the funniest person in the world."
He says he basically lived to get that reaction out of her, day after day, because it was so contagious. The memory, as he tells it, is burned in: big, out-loud, can’t-help-it laughter. And in classic Leo understatement: she was incredible.
His tribute after her death
Keaton died in October 2025 from bacterial pneumonia. She was 79. After the news broke, DiCaprio posted a tribute on Instagram Stories (via People), calling her 'one of a kind' — 'brilliant,' 'funny,' 'unapologetically herself' — and 'a legend,' 'an icon,' and 'a truly kind human being.' He also noted that he had the honor of working with her when he was 18, and closed with the obvious: she will be deeply missed.
Quick refresher: the Marvin's Room connection
- Movie: Marvin's Room (1996), directed by Jerry Zaks
- Premise: Two estranged sisters are forced back into each other’s orbit and have to put old grudges aside to figure out their relationship and what comes next.
- Cast: Diane Keaton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Hume Cronyn, Joe Lisi, Gwen Verdon, Hal Scardino, Dan Hedaya, Cynthia Nixon, among others.
It’s a sweet, oddly specific memory from a film people don’t bring up as often as Leo’s bigger hits, and that’s probably why it lands. The set detail isn’t flashy — it’s personal. And that’s the good stuff.