Even though it has become a popular internet bit to joke about all of Leonardo DiCaprio’s various young girlfriends, it is based on the well-known fact that this man consistently dates people who weren’t even alive when Titanic hit theaters. And it seems like he’s always been this way, though it was significantly less weird when he was in his 30s.
Still, it is well-known that DiCaprio has a history with younger women, even going back almost 20 years. In a newly resurfaced 2005 Harpers Bazaar interview with The OC star Mischa Barton, the actress claims her team encouraged her to hit on DiCaprio in hopes of advancing her career. Barton, who was 19 at the time, was told by her rep to “go sleep with that man” referring to DiCaprio, “for the sake of [her] career.”
Barton decided to pass at the time, saying “Isn’t Leo, like, 30 or something?” Now, DiCaprio is 48 and still being linked to teenagers, though sometimes he goes above 25, just to keep everyone on their toes. Though breaking up with his last long-term girlfriend right after she turned 25 was a little fishy.
Of course, DiCaprio was probably unaware of the exchange between Barton and her rep (who knows if he was a fan of The OC back in the day) but the fact that this story is from nearly 20 years ago and could still be applied to the actor’s love life today is a bit troubling.