Many Oscar watchers will remember the announcement of the most anticipated award: Leonardo DiCaprio won Best Actor! Now, his speech is not only the most watched speech on Oscar’s YouTube channel but the first to reach 50 million views. Fans worldwide celebrated Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar moment by sharing thousands of posts online. Those in the room give him a prolonged standing ovation for his lifetime of achievement. Reaching 50 million views six years after the fact is due in part to the continued appreciation of DiCaprio’s work and the unique fan response to this particular award.
For two decades, the leading man hunted for the big prize to no avail. First nominated in 1994, he totaled four acting nominations before winning. For many roles, he was snubbed by not receiving nominations for celebrated work. His performances in two Best Picture winning films, Titanic and The Departed, are among those snubs. Finally, for The Revenant, he swept awards season, collecting accolades from critics and peers. This awards season also saw his first wins at the SAG and BAFTA Awards.
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The next most watched Oscars moment, with 35 million views, is Ellen Degeneres’ opening monologue from the 86th Academy Awards. (DiCaprio lost that night to Matthew McConaughey.) These days, the Oscars are struggling to find a TV audience for the show. The viewership reached over 37 million in the US when DiCaprio won his Oscar. The viewership in 2022 was nearly 17 million. Other award shows are also struggling to find an audience. Maybe there will be another big Oscar moment like this in the future, but for today, Leo is still proving he’s the king of the world!
What’s your favorite of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar films? Share in the comments!