The biggest names in the movie business always command the largest paycheques.
Leonardo DiCaprio has had an extensive and eclectic acting career, with gigantic blockbusters such as Titanic , The Departed and Inception solidifying his status as one of the highest profile figures in the industry.
As a result, his standard fee is a colossal $20 million.
However, for upcoming biopic J. Edgar , Leo opted to settle for a much smaller figure so he wouldn't cripple the production's budget.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, director Clint Eastwood stated that:
"He could have made a lot of money just doing spectacle movies with all kinds of CGI."
"But he wants to vary his career, like I've always looked to vary mine as a director."
The film, which is scheduled for a January release date in the UK, was produced on a relatively minimal $35 million.
DiCaprio made a similar move with Christopher Nolan's Inception , again taking a sizeable pay cut.
However, with that particular film he also took home a percentage of box office earnings, netting him a reported $50 million.
