HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Leonardo DiCaprio's likely next film project moved one step closer to reality when Twentieth Century Fox won an intense studio battle to secure worldwide distribution rights to ``The Beach.'' Sources at Fox confirmed that DiCaprio will receive $20 million for his role as a rootless American backpacker who is following a map to paradise drawn by a dying stranger. Shooting is slated to begin in January, on location in Thailand and later in Australia.

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), July 21, 1998

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Leo Nets $20 Million

life really is a beach for Leonardo DiCaprio. The Titanic heartthrob has gained admittance to that exclusive club reserved for the crhme de la crhme of Hollywood. The membership dues? A cool $20 million a picture. Daily Variety reports Leo will receive that very sum to headline The Beach, his first starring role since achieving worldwide fame as sensitive but doomed artist Jack Dawson in James Cameron's big-boat flick. Previously, DiCaprio had reportedly been offered at least $20 million to take on the starring role in American Psycho, a film from which he later distanced himself. In The Beach, which is based on the novel by Alex Garland, DiCaprio will play Richard, an aimless traveler who is given a map to a paradise by a mysterious and mad stranger who soon commits suicide. The 1996 book touches on many pop culture references, from video games to Vietnam War movies, and also delves into pot smoking and the use of psychedelic drugs, a fact that some parents of teenage DiCaprio fans might not appreciate. "This could be a big mistake for him," CNN film analyst Martin Grove told the New York Post last week. "Real movie stars give their fans what they want to see. That's always been the case. Real movie stars understand how they got to be movie stars and that there is a certain thing that they do well, and that's what people want to see them do." And not everyone believes the big payday is the best move for the young star. Variety's Peter Bart warned in an open letter to DiCaprio last week, "Don't hold out for that $20 million salary. At those prices, you'll have to carry the picture. Think back to those olden days when studios could afford two stars, or even three in a movie. That made for better movies, and also longer careers." 20th Century Fox beat out the other major studios for the right to finance and distribute the now high-profile film. The Beach is expected to start production early next year in Thailand and then Australia with a budget of at least $40 million, says Variety. Trainspotting director Danny Boyle will helm with his usual cohorts, screenwriter John Hodge and producer Andrew MacDonald. The picture is reportedly currently being targeted for a Christmas 1999 release.

Leo Quote Misses the Buss

Leonardo DiCaprio's reputation as a steamy sex symbol is getting smacked around in a British publication. Eva magazine quoted the star as saying he finds kissing "disgusting." Could it be that the dashing actor who so convincingly wooed Kate Winslet in Titanic may have just beengasp!acting? No need to fret. According to one of Leo's publicists, the 23-year-old heartbreaker never made any such comment to the magazine, and she has demanded a retraction, says the Associated Press. "When you think about it, kissing is pretty disgusting," the model-chaser was quoted as saying in Eva. "The human mouth is one of the dirtiest things on this planet. There's so much bacteria, slime and trapped fooda dog's mouth is much cleaner." Yikes"My Heart Will Go On," it ain't. Deborah Grimes, DiCaprio's publicist, denies Leo ever made this stunning observation to Eva, and she insists that he never gave an interview to the magazine. But is there a Leo conspiracy afoot? He was recently quoted in Teen Magazine talking about his first kiss, which he said wasyou guessed it"disgusting." "The girl injected about a pound of saliva into my mouth," DiCaprio graphically states, "and when I walked away I had to spit it out." Ew. Eva magazine also quotes the star on his wooing methodsand how he's not impressed by women who throw themselves at him. "That kind of attitude turns me off. It's much more interesting to pursue the girl who isn't interested in you and won't give you a second glance," Leonardo allegedly said. "If talking to her makes her want to be with you that's infinitely more exciting for me." Leo also supposedly told the mag that he has yet to find "absolute love," and will not stop his playboy ways until he does. "I'm not dating women just for the hell of it," he insists. "But I'm young, and I'm not thinking about whether a relationship is going to last." No word yet from the magazine on Grimes' allegations. Recently, Brooke Shields won a retraction, an apology, and substantial damages from London's Mail on Sunday after it printed a fabricated story falsely accusing the squeaky-clean Suddenly Susan star of getting busted for drugs in France. And DiCaprio is no stranger to taking on the press. He reached an out-of-court settlement last month with Playgirl magazine, which had intended to publish pics of the blond bad boy in his birthday suit. Details of the settlement are still hard to come by, but don't expect to see a butt-nekkid Leonardo in the skin mag anytime soon.

Woody Allen Plays Down Leo Factor

Woody Allen says he didn't have box office in mind when he hired international heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio for his upcoming film, Celebrity. "I cast DiCaprio before Titanic came out," Allen tells Newsweek. "He has 12 minutes in the film." In the flick, due to hit theaters this fall, Leo plays a spoiled rock star hounded by obsessed fans. Still, Leo's presence may help the struggling filmmaker tap into a different domestic audience, or any audience for that matter. His last few films haven't exactly burned up the box office (some blame his fading popularity on his scandalous affair with his now-wife, Soon-Yi, the adopted daughter of his former lover Mia Farrow), and lately he's been forced to make some well-publicized cutbacks. But Miramax head Harvey Weinstein, whose company is releasing the film, thinks that the Leo factor should not be underestimated. "If there's a chance for Woody to break through, this is it," he tells the mag. "Leo could open the door." Woody, ever the optimist, remains unconvinced. "I'll believe it when I see it," says Soon-Yi's man.

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), July 21, 1998.