Leonardo DiCaprio's 'Django Unchained' Role Led To Hand Injury

How Far Leonardo DiCaprio Will Go For His Art
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio poses for photos promoting his upcoming film, "Django Unchained" at the Summer of Sony 4 Spring Edition photo call in Cancun, Mexico, Sunday April 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio poses for photos promoting his upcoming film, "Django Unchained" at the Summer of Sony 4 Spring Edition photo call in Cancun, Mexico, Sunday April 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)

Leonardo DiCaprio has long been on the short list of possible Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominees for his role in "Django Unchained." And while his status as either a contender or pretender will get confirmed as the film begins to screen widely for critics and guild members, one thing is clear: DiCaprio left it all on the table for his role as a racist plantation owner. Even his own blood.

During a particularly aggressive moment for his character, Calvin Candie, DiCaprio slammed his hand on a table so hard that he broke a glass and cut his hand.

"Blood was dripping down his hand," producer Stacy Sher told Variety. "He never broke character. He kept going. He was in such a zone. It was very intense. He required stitches."

As you probably guessed, the scene where DiCaprio cut his hand is the one in the finished film.

This isn't the first time an actor has cut himself for the sake of art. Perhaps the most famous incident is Orson Welles, who cut his hand destroying a room in "Citizen Kane"; Welles hid his hand out of frame to continue the shot and not blow the take.

"Django Unchained" had its first guild screening on Saturday night, with many members in attendance seeming quite fond of Quentin Tarantino's latest throwback exploitation thriller.

[via Variety]

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