The “very rough” 2008 movie that pushed Leonardo DiCaprio to the brink: “I physically collapsed”

Leonardo DiCaprio said the 2008 thriller *Body of Lies* was a “very rough” shoot, with demanding action scenes and an intense torture sequence that left him physically collapsed and ill for several days. The film, directed by Ridley Scott, did not achieve the acclaim or box-office success he may have hoped for, making the physical strain feel less worthwhile.

DiCaprio played a CIA agent trying to capture a terrorist, alongside Russell Crowe as his handler; the script was by William Monahan. Filming in Morocco involved elaborate stunts, including simulated missile attacks, while DiCaprio said the torture scene pushed him to his breaking point. The article contrasts this experience with *The Revenant*, whose punishing production brought him his first Best Actor Oscar.