How I Lost Everything to Leonardo DiCaprio

[gentle music] Super Real Life.

Leo basically swore he was gonna destroy us, uh, and that's what he went on to do, and, and, and destroy the movie as well.

Like, we got called to his house that day.

They dismantled us.

I mean, it was, like, so abusive.

He didn't listen.

He didn't do any investigating.

He didn't question anything.

And so Leo went on an absolute rampage, and from that day forward, my entire Hollywood experience changed, I mean, overnight.

I...

It was so instant.

Every major relationship I had died.

All the major offers coming in for Don's Plum were withdrawn.

So all that got blocked, and, you know, it was the end of my dreams on that day really.

Hey, I'm Julian Morgans, and you're listening to What It Was Like, the show that asks people who have lived through big dramatic events what it was like.

[gentle music] Hey, welcome back.

This week we're going to Hollywood, and I have to say these kinds of stories have a special place in my heart.

Growing up, I always wanted to make movies as a career.

I actually studied film at university, and in a roundabout way, that's how I got into podcasting.

So I very much relate to stories about dreams and pivoted dreams too I guess.

Now this week I'm speaking with a man named Dale Wheatley, who grew up in Vancouver and then moved to LA where he landed in with a crowd that included Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

Now, this was before Romeo and Juliet, it was before Titanic, and Leo wasn't a household name, but he was coming up in the world, and this circle of friends, they all partied together, they ate together, they slept on each other's couches, and then they made a film together.

It was a hyper low budget indie film called Don's Plum, and it was scripted and produced by Dale and starring all of Dale's friends, including Leo and Tobey Maguire.

And when they finished it and they screened it, they got a standing ovation.

Leo was thrilled.

Danny DeVito's production company wanted to sign them up for a three-picture deal, and Dale suddenly found himself living his childhood dream.

But then Leo and Tobey had a change of heart, and they set about doing everything that they could to crush the film and dismantle Dale's friendships.

This is a story about power and about doing everything right and still having it not work out.

I think it's a pretty sad story in a beautiful way, and it's a fascinating glimpse behind the biggest, glitziest curtain in the world.

And one last thing just before we get started, you're gonna hear us reference Dale's book a few times, which is a memoir of this period of his life.

It's called Too Real, and I'll link out in the show notes.

Okay, let's get into it.

Here is Dale Wheatley.