Leonardo DiCaprio is an accomplished actor whose current net worth is around $235 million, according to the Huffington Post. Many can’t help but wonder what a guy with that much money, particularly one as mysterious as Leo, would spend it on. Unsurprisingly, his biggest source of income comes from his acting roles but it’s been an uphill battle for this child star to cement himself as one of the most well-paid actors in Hollywood – in 1993 he made just $75,000 for his part in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
But by the time DiCaprio got the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic, he was raking in a much heftier paycheck of about $2.5 million, and it’s only gone up from there. DiCaprio is also making a pretty penny through endorsement deals, too. In 2009 he signed a multi-million-dollar deal with the watch brand Tag Heuer, using his royalties from the deal to donate to environmental charities he supports. Looks like when your net worth surpasses $200 million, you can afford to give away a couple.
Here are a few other things Leo likes to spend his money on…
THE LEONARDO DICAPRIO FOUNDATION – One thing we do know about Leonardo DiCaprio is aside from acting, his other passion in life is charity. Not only are many of his purchases through charities and auctions but he’s also known to donate his own purchases to charity as well. In 1998 the actor established his own charitable organization, The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The organization is focused on improving the health and well-being of Earth, wildland and ocean conservation, climate change, and indigenous rights. To date, the organization has raised millions for good causes, including a whopping $40 million at his annual charity gala. Leo has given back so generously he was even named a United Nations Messenger of Peace for his charitable contributions.
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FAMILY – DiCaprio also likes to share his fame and fortune with the people he loves most. Aside from sharing his successes by bringing his family members as dates to big events, he also likes to get them a gift or two. Who could forget the time he dropped $10,800 on a Chanel bag at a Heart Fund Gala auction for his mom Irmelin? One of the most talked about gifts Leo’s ever given a family member, he actually won the designer handbag after outbidding Paris Hilton in a charity auction. Now that’s commitment!
Ga Fullner / Shutterstock.comLUXURY YACHTS – When it comes to himself, Leo seems to have a go big or go home mentality. One of the items Leo doesn’t mind sprinkling a little cash on is luxury yachts, often hosting parties on them in Cannes and the Mediterranean with various famous guests. We’ve seen the paparazzi pictures of the star looking relaxed on some expensive yacht on more than one occasion, surrounded by (who else?) models. Ever the businessman, Leo is actually more likely to drop cash on renting those yachts than buying them. Why buy one when you can test them all out? DiCaprio has rented yachts owned by businessmen and even Saudi royalty.
ART – Another item DiCaprio loves to splurge on is art. Quite the art connoisseur, Leo is frequently seen at art auctions and galleries which display the finest art. The actor has also been photographed on multiple occasions leaving the Art Basel Gallery in Switzerland where he’s rumored to have dropped as much as $1 million in a single shopping trip. Leo is known for having expensive taste when it comes to art, and his current collection is worth millions of dollars. Recently named one of the world’s top art collectors, the Titanic actor owns pieces by Picasso, Warhol, and Banksy. But even when it comes to art Leo doesn’t stray from being charitable: he once purchased a $125,000 Ed Ruscha painting as part of a charity auction to raise money for Haiti relief funds. He also collects comics, rare books, and fossils.
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APARTMENTS – Another way Leonardo DiCaprio has proved to be quite the savvy businessman is through his various property purchases. He’s constantly buying and selling his properties, usually for a considerable profit. When it comes to real estate, it seems like the actor definitely knows what he’s doing. With various homes around the world, he owns two apartments in New York alone, including a $10 million eco-friendly apartment that pumps out twice-filtered aromatherapy air and has reflexology flooring.
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MANSIONS – Did we mention he likes property? When he’s not hanging out in his eco-friendly apartments, Leo is soaking up the sun at his six-bedroom and seven-and-a-half bathroom Palm Springs mansion. The single-story, 7022-square-foot home is complete with a pool house, gym, tennis court and glass pavilion. While the mansion cost the star $5.2 million, you can have the full Leo experience and rent his Palm Springs mansion (sitting on 1.34 acres of land, FYI) for a measly $4,500 a night.
482 HermosaSPORTS TICKETS – Another passion in Leonardo DiCaprio’s life is sports. When he’s not hiding out at one of his many properties, The Wolf of Wall Street star can be found front row at pretty much any major sporting event. From soccer to basketball to tennis to football, no ticket is too costly for this Hollywood icon. From a Champions League match in Europe to the FIFA World Cup, Leo loves his expensive tickets. And let’s talk about the baseball caps. People have speculated and even criticized the actor for wearing pretty much every sports cap there is; who does he actually root for?! This question, like many other things about Leo, seems to remain a mystery. How could he be rooting for so many teams? Does he just really love hats? We may never know.
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CARS – Leonardo DiCaprio ‘s commitment to protecting the environment even extends to his choice in cars. The actor owns a $25,000 Toyota Prius and a $120,000 Tesla Roadster. The Prius is definitely a modest car for a heavy-weight actor, but the hybrid is fully electric so it makes sense Leo would be drawn to it. The Roadster, on the other hand, is an electric sports car that was the first in production to use lithium-ion battery cells. It was also the first battery electric vehicle to travel more than 320 km per charge. As an environmental activist, DiCaprio’s car cavalry not only helps the environment but also encourages others to make the change as well. After all, if it’s Leo-approved that could be the only selling point it needs.
PRIVATE JETS – But if DiCaprio needs to get around fast, his preferred mode of transportation is a private jet. The Sony hack claimed DiCaprio spent around $200,000 in travel costs in a single year. As an actor, it makes sense Leo would be racking up bills traveling from country to country. From shooting movies in remote locations to attending major Hollywood events, Leonardo DiCaprio is constantly on the go. But it’s also the actor’s charity work that increases his travel costs. The actor is jumping from place to place to give informative speeches or accept prizes and awards for his environmental activism. But some people have criticized Leo’s preference to charter a private jet, calling it a hypocritical choice for someone committed to improving the environment.
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ACTION FIGURES – Sometimes, the things that celebrities spend their money on can be really surprising. Never taking on a superhero role himself, or starring in any mega-blockbuster film saga (in fact, Leo’s never starred in a sequel at all), it seems Leo still has an appreciation for it from afar. It was leaked that Leonardo DiCaprio loves his action figures and is willing to dish out the cash to get them. Although most traces of his collection seem to have been wiped clean from the internet (could he be any more mysterious?), the Wayback Machine reports that according to a 2006 press release, Morphy Auctions had the opportunity to sell “vintage toys from the collection of Academy Award-nominated actor Leonardo DiCaprio.” The contents of this auction showed just how committed he is to collecting. The press release reported there were over 150 Star Wars figures, including the legendary Vinyl Cape Jawa and over 200 Superhero figures, featuring a “complete set of Mego Superhero figures.” Wayback Machine states the proceeds of the auction, handled by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, went directly towards environmental protection organizations.
PIANO FROM CASABLANCA – Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t just have a love of action figures. The actor has also shown a love for various memorabilia and has proved he’s willing to pay whatever it takes to get the pieces he has his eye on. In particular, Leonardo DiCaprio has shown an interest in film memorabilia. Another thing you may not have known about Leo is he’s actually the co-owner of the piano used in the classic 1942 film Casablanca. The actor teamed up with a billionaire pal to purchase the instrument on which Dooley Wilson performed As Time Goes By at an auction. The piano was sold at $600,000. According to the New York Daily News, DiCaprio and philanthropist Stewart Rahr teamed up to buy the piano with a plan to donate it to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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FUTURE PLANS: ECO RESORTS – Mansions, jets and cars aren’t enough for a man whose net worth is $235 million. DiCaprio has now shared his latest project, which involves opening an eco-friendly resort on a private island in Belize. The hotel will be designed to attract environmentally-conscious tourists who want to keep their carbon footprint to a minimum while still enjoying a relaxing vacation. The Titanic actor actually purchased the island over 10 years ago for under $2 million. Spread over 43 hectares, this little piece of unspoiled paradise will house 68 villas on a platform overlooking the lagoon, along with 48 private houses, all of which will be powered by 100% renewable energy harvested from solar panels made from recycled, non-polluting materials. Rainwater will be collected and filtered on-site and as well as recreating the island’s original ecosystem, the actor will be organizing courses, seminars and conferences on climate change and the dangers it poses. The eco resort is expected to open in 2018.
BONO’S GUITAR – Remember when we mentioned Leo has a thing for collecting memorabilia? It seems it’s not just film memorabilia the actor is interested in. Leonardo DiCaprio once bought Bono’s guitar for $100,000 at a charity auction to raise money for the Haiti relief effort. Aside from the fact that the purchase was a charitable donation to a good cause, as most of his collector’s purchases seem to be, it’s quite likely the guitar will be of value in the future… so it’s safe to say this was just as much a smart business decision as it was generous.
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SPACE EXPLORATION – Considering how ambitious Leonardo DiCaprio has proven to be, would it really be shocking if he purchased a ticket to space? It seems for people like Leo, no price tag is too great to prevent them from embarking on an experience of a lifetime. During the South By South Lawn talk at the White House, the 41-year-old actor cheekily revealed he’d signed up for a shuttle trip to Mars. Interviewing President Barack Obama and climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe about the issues of climate change, Leonardo hinted he had interest in Elon Musk’s venture to Mars. Among the many pricey ventures Leo has embarked on, we wouldn’t be surprised if he attempted this one.
GIFTS FOR HIS GIRLFRIENDS – One thing Leonardo DiCaprio is known for is being quite the ladies man. It’ been speculated that DiCaprio will never find a partner that can tame him, but hey, we thought the same thing about Clooney! Regardless, DiCaprio has had a slew of “relationships” with some of the most beautiful models and actresses this world has ever seen, including Gisele Bundchen, Bar Refaeli, and even Blake Lively. DiCaprio and Lively reportedly dated for about a year, and things seemed to be getting serious when tabloids reported the actor bought his then-girlfriend a Toyota Prius to replace her gas-guzzling Range Rover.
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RUBY SLIPPERS FROM THE WIZARD OF OZ – Another well-known memorabilia purchase by DiCaprio is the famed ruby slippers from the classic film Wizard Of Oz. We don’t know whether this was a clever investment from the savvy businessman or if he had a personal attachment to the film, but this was another collector’s item DiCaprio was unwilling to let go of. The actor led the group of donors that enabled the purchase, including Steven Spielberg. Like with other memorabilia he’s purchased, Leo and the group of donors ended up giving one of four pairs worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film to the Academy Museum. “Leo’s passionate leadership has helped us bring home this legendary piece of movie history,” stated Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.
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FISKER KARMA – As seen before, Leo has no issue investing money into quality cars as long as they are good for the environment. A well-known purchase of Leo’s was a Fisker Karma, one of the hottest sports car hybrids up for grabs right now. The car costs about $100,000… but Leo didn’t just buy the car. What separates this car purchase from the rest was he actually became a major investor in the car company itself. “DiCaprio will work closely with marketing and promotional initiatives to bring attention to sustainability and environmental issues around the world,” Fisker Automotive stated in a press release. “In turn, Fisker will support the work of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.”
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VITAMIN-C INFUSED SHOWERS – It’s always enjoyable when we get a sneak peek into some of Hollywood’s biggest stars best-kept beauty secrets, particularly the ones they use to keep them looking youthful. What better way to get your vitamins than by having a vitamin-infused shower head? One of Leo’s New York condos was listed to have this very special shower, whose vitamin C-infused water has all kinds of health benefits. Vitamin C is said to reduce the concentration of chlorine found in tap water. It’s also supposed to be great for your skin and general health.
ForbesLUXURY WATCHES – Luxury watches are always a popular splurge. While larger purchases such as property or jets are undeniable signs of wealth, a luxury watch is a purchase you can carry with you. It’s also something easy to collect, and you know how Leo feels about collecting. So, it’s unsurprising that DiCaprio’s appreciation for a quality watch led him to be a brand ambassador for Tag Heuer. Together with the brand, he developed the TAG Heuer Aquaracer 500M Leonardo DiCaprio Limited Editions, whose profits went to Green Cross International and NRDC (Council for the Nature Protection).
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DESIGNER SUNGLASSES – Besides watches, Leonardo DiCaprio has also shared a love for designer sunglasses. A popular accessory he uses to hide from the paparazzi, his many shades have been documented with unwanted photos from paps. Billionaire David Green, however, shared a personal photo of the star on his $300 million yacht in a pair of Persol Steve McQueen sunglasses. In The Wolf of Wall Street Leo can also be seen wearing classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses.
PRIVATE ISLANDS – Before his plans to create an eco-friendly resort, DiCaprio was the proud owner of said private island. Considering the hefty costs of his future plans for the resort, the island was a relatively tame price of under $2 million. The actor is said to have fallen in love with the island off the coast of Belize 10 years ago. You can’t be an enthusiastic property buyer if you haven’t looked into buying yourself an island, right?
EXOTIC PETS – Leo also showed a strange interest in exotic animals at one point. To everyone’s surprise, sources reported that DiCaprio expressed interest and eventually got his hands on: a tortoise. Rumors say he attended a Reptile Breeders conference in California and was so amazed at all the animals that he ordered a 10-year-old Sulcata Tortoise in California. This specific type of tortoise can grow up to 200 pounds, and can live for 80 years! According to TMZ, sources say Leo picked up the 10-year-old Sulcata tortoise at the North American Reptile Breeders Conference and Trade Show which he attended with fellow Inception co-star Lukas Haas.
WikipediaSUSTAINABLE FOOD COMPANY – Another project Leo has sunk his teeth into is a sustainable food company. The Oscar winner invested in sustainable food company Love The Wild, which specializes in frozen seafood meals. On his decision to invest in Love The Wild, Leo says the company “is empowering people to take action on this crisis in a very meaningful way” and uses only species of fish that are sustainably farmed. DiCaprio continued in his statement, “The exploitation of our oceans has left many marine ecosystems on the brink of total collapse, which is hurting our ability to harvest our seas as a reliable food source as we have for thousands of years.”
RIGHTS TO MOVIES – What better area for Leo to invest his money in than filmmaking? Already establishing himself as one of the greatest actors of our generation, DiCaprio is proving to be a Jack of all trades and has decided to take a step behind the camera. He recently helped produce The Wolf Of Wall Street which he also starred in (producing typically involves financing the movie with your own money). In the past, DiCaprio has picked up the rights to Erik Larson’s 2003 non-fiction book about a mass murderer called The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. He also recently won a bidding war for the rights to Walter Isaacson’s book on Leonardo Da Vinci, which the actor will produce under his Appian Way production company and also star in.
