Leonardo DiCaprio’s Legal Battles: Lawsuits, Defamation & Privacy (2025)

Mian Hamid September 11, 2025

N E E D   T O   K N O W

  • 🎬 Contract Clash: Settled a $10M lawsuit over Don’s Plum to block U.S. release.

  • 🏠 Neighbor Wars: Sued for $250K after building a basketball court allegedly damaging property.

  • 🐺 Wolf of Wall Street Fallout: Ordered to give a deposition in a $25M defamation case linked to a real Stratton Oakmont exec.

  • 📸 Privacy Protector: Won a lawsuit in France against Oops! magazine over false Rihanna pregnancy claims.

  • 💼 1MDB Scandal: Questioned by the FBI for gifts and funding ties with fugitive financier Jho Low.

  • 👊 Assault Lawsuit: Faced a $15M claim in 1998—later dismissed—over an altercation outside a New York restaurant.

  • 🔒 Reputation First: Known for defending privacy and image while balancing Hollywood power plays.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Legal Battles: From Defamation to Privacy and the Fine Art of Staying Lionized

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Legal Battles: Lawsuits, Defamation & Privacy (2025)

Explore Leonardo DiCaprio’s legal history—from defamation cases and contract disputes to privacy victories and high-stakes investigations. A refined look at how one of Hollywood’s most private stars navigates legal fire.

The Peaceful Face of a Hollywood Icon in Court

Leonardo DiCaprio’s public persona is defined by dignity, environmental activism, and cinematic excellence. Yet beyond the camera’s glare, his legal journey reveals how even the most iconic lives encounter brushes with litigation. From contract disputes to defamation and privacy rights, DiCaprio’s court encounters offer a window into the legal tightrope celebrities must walk in the age of relentless media.

Don’s Plum and the $10 Million Contract Dispute

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Legal Battles: Lawsuits, Defamation & Privacy (2025)

One of DiCaprio’s earliest legal intrigues involved the indie film Don’s Plum (1995), which he starred in alongside Tobey Maguire. As his stardom grew post-Titanic, the film’s creators attempted to distribute it—against DiCaprio's wishes.

In 1999, DiCaprio and Maguire settled a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit, allowing Don’s Plum to be released outside the U.S. and Canada. Entertainment Weekly reported on the resolution, noting legal tensions centered on the shifting value of a low-budget film in the wake of the star’s fame.

Neighbors vs. the Basketball Court: Unsteady Ground

In a more domestic dispute, DiCaprio was sued by neighbors who claimed his construction of a basketball court in the Hollywood Hills compromised the stability of their property and damaged their pool deck. The lawsuit sought at least $250,000 in damages for alleged excavation overstepping property lines.

However, in a later update, a judge found the complaint incomplete and uncertain, giving the plaintiffs an opportunity to amend—but not immediately granting their request to proceed.

Defamation in The Wolf of Wall Street

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Legal Battles: Lawsuits, Defamation & Privacy (2025)

One of the most high-profile legal entanglements came in 2014, when a former Stratton Oakmont executive, Andrew Greene, sued over his alleged portrayal in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Greene claimed the character Nicky “Rugrat” Koskof defamed him, painting him as a drug-addled degenerate.

After years of legal wrangling, U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Locke ruled that DiCaprio could indeed be deposed due to his role as a producer and his early involvement in the film’s development. Despite his attorneys' resistance—arguing DiCaprio wasn’t involved in screenwriting or editorial decisions—the court found deposition necessary.

Privacy Wins: Battling Tabloids in France

Privacy laws in France are famously robust—and DiCaprio has leveraged that effectively. In 2015, he sued Oops! magazine for falsely claiming he’d impregnated singer Rihanna. A French court ruled in his favor, holding the magazine liable and awarding him around $8,800 in damages and fees.

In related commentary, the magazine’s owner sarcastically lamented, “...when any magazine speaks about a celebrity’s private life the magazine is automatically condemned,” though DiCaprio’s legal victory underscored the limits of sensationalism without substantiation.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Legal Battles: Lawsuits, Defamation & Privacy (2025)

1MDB Scandal: Friend or Foe?

Perhaps the most politically charged spotlight fell on DiCaprio when FBI documents revealed that he’d been interviewed in 2018 about his ties to Jho Low—the notorious financier at the center of the 1MDB scandal, an investigation into billions in embezzled Malaysian state funds.

Authorities revealed that Low had provided luxury gifts to DiCaprio and financed The Wolf of Wall Street. DiCaprio proactively cooperated with federal investigators and pledged to return any questionable contributions tied to his foundation.

Assault Lawsuit—Dismissed

A dramatic moment arose in 1998 when actor Roger Wilson filed a $15 million suit alleging DiCaprio had encouraged friends to assault him outside a Manhattan restaurant following tensions over calls to Wilson’s girlfriend. The court swiftly dismissed the claim against DiCaprio, though Wilson could proceed against the friend who admitted striking him. DiCaprio expressed relief via a terse statement, stating he was “grateful that the judicial system has finally resolved the case in a fair and just manner.”

The Quiet Strength of Legal Discipline

Despite high stakes and tabloid allure, Leonardo DiCaprio’s legal record reflects restraint, consistent boundaries, and a strategic sense of when to litigate—and when to walk away. Whether defending privacy, safeguarding creative control, or responding to federal investigators, his approach maintains dignity amid glare.

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