Leonardo DiCaprio reveals how his mindset has changed after turning 50

Leonardo DiCaprio has shared his thoughts on hitting a major life milestone, turning 50.

In an interview with Esquire published Wednesday, director Paul Thomas Anderson asked the actor whether reaching the age last year felt like “a natural time” for reflection. DiCaprio first joked that he had just “turned emotionally 35.”

He continued: “Well, it creates a feeling like you have a desire to just be more honest and not waste your time. I can only imagine how the next few decades are going to progress.”

“I look at my mother, for example, and she just says exactly what she thinks and wastes no time,” he said. “She spends no time trying to fake it.”

The Titanic star went on to explain how his mindset has changed as he’s gotten older.

“Being more upfront and risking having things fall apart or risk the disagreements or risk going your separate ways from any type of relationship in life — the personal, professional — it’s that you just don’t want to waste your time anymore,” he added. “You have to just be much more upfront. It’s almost a responsibility because much more of your life is behind you than it is ahead of you.”

Elsewhere in the interview, DiCaprio reflected on his acting career and the big decisions he’s made during it. He expressed his disappointment about rejecting the opportunity to star in Boogie Nights, Anderson’s 1997 drama about the porn industry.

“I’ll say it even though you’re here: my biggest regret is not doing Boogie Nights. It was a profound movie of my generation,” he told Anderson.

“When I finally got to see that movie, I just thought it was a masterpiece,” DiCaprio continued. “It’s ironic that you’re the person asking that question, but it’s true.”

The actor has long been rumoured to have been Anderson’s first choice for the role of rising porn star Dirk Diggler, who was eventually played by Mark Wahlberg. DiCaprio added that, despite his regret over declining the part, he “can’t imagine anyone” in the role but Wahlberg.

The film, which was shot at the same time DiCaprio filmed Titanic, also starred Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John C Reilly, and Burt Reynolds, who received an Oscar nomination for his role.

Anderson’s new film, One Battle after Another, has been 20 years in the making and marks the first time he has ever worked with DiCaprio. It follows a former member of a revolutionary group who seeks help from other revolutionaries to find his missing daughter.

It will be released in U.S. theaters on September 26.