Leonardo DiCaprio To Portray Putin In New Movie? Actor Reveals Russian Roots

Many Russian fans of Leonardo DiCaprio are already at the edge of their seats as the actor is rumored to portray the country's President Vladimir Putin. However, sources are now clarifying that there are no talks about the upcoming biopic between the actor and the producers.

The rumors of his role sparked when DiCaprio told Germany's Welt am Sonntag (via People) that "Putin would be very, very, very interesting, I would love to play him."

After meeting the Russian President last 2010 at a conference on protecting the Siberian tiger, the "Great Gatsby" actor revealed, "My foundation has provided financial support for several projects for the protection of these big cats. Putin and I talked only about the protection of these magnificent animals, not politics."

Having two Russian grandparents, Putin told Leonardo DiCaprio that he was a "real man" for still attending the said event despite the weather, saying, "A person with less stable nerves could have decided against coming, could have read it as a sign - that it was not worth going."

However, despite the rapport built between the two powerful men, the rumored biopic is still far from sight.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty  (via The Wrap), Knightsbridge CEO Grant Cramer claimed that even though DiCaprio is their "dream choice," they are still focusing on locking in the movie's director.

Hinting that the film's helmer has two Oscars, the choices are narrowed down to Steven Spielberg, Ang Lee, and political filmmaker Oliver Stone.

In other news, the "Titanic" actor is set to produce a movie adaptation for the YA novel "The Sandcastle Empire" with Paramount Pictures.

The novel is mainly based on the environment, particularly on climate change, which is very important for DiCaprio. According to Variety, "The novel was written by Kayla Olson and is set in 2049 when the Earth is at a breaking point due to climate change, coastal flooding and overpopulation. A radical faction known as the Wolfpack overthrows the government and takes control."

As of press time, all eyes are on Leonardo DiCaprio on whether he will finally grab an Oscar for his role in "The Revenant."