Leonardo DiCaprio defends 'Wolf of Wall Street', reiterates they're not condoning excessive behavior

Martin Scorsese’s latest directorial effort The Wolf of Wall Street has been criticized for glorifying sex, drugs, and the overall extreme lifestyle of Jordan Belfort.

Leonardo DiCaprio, who has received rave reviews for his depiction of Belfort, is commenting on the misconceptions stemming from the film.

DiCaprio said in no way does the film condone the excessive behavior of certain Wall Street employees. “I think anyone who thinks that missed the boat entirely,” he told HitFix.

“I think that anyone that thinks this is a celebration of Wall Street and this sort of hedonism — yes, the unique thing about Marty is that he doesn't judge his characters. And that was something that you don't quite understand while you're making the movie, but he allows the freedom of this almost hypnotic, drug-infused, wild ride that these characters go on,” he explained.

“And he allows you, as an audience — guilty or not — to enjoy in that ride without judging who these people are,” he continued.

The film has certainly been met with controversy, much like many of Scorsese’s films over the years. During a screening of the film for Academy members, Scorsese was shamed by one of the members for its over-the-top nature.

“Shame on you!” the screenwriter is rumored to have told Scorsese at the screening.

image: Wikimedia Commons

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