In the annals of film history, few lines are as iconic as Leonardo DiCaprio’s triumphant shout, “I’m the king of the world!” from the 1997 blockbuster Titanic. But did you know this little behind-the-scenes fact of the James Cameron epic: it was made up on the spot. Director James Cameron shed light on the behind-the-scenes story of this legendary moment, revealing DiCaprio’s classic one-word response when asked to ad-lib the now-famous (infamous to some) line.
During a candid interview with BBC Radio 1, the Terminator director recounted the unexpected circumstances leading up to creating one of the most iconic movie quotes. Initially, the scene wasn’t scripted to include the “king of the world” proclamation. However, as filming progressed, Cameron felt the need for a more impactful expression of Jack Dawson’s euphoria upon boarding the majestic RMS Titanic. As James recalls it:
It was made up on the spot… I was in a crane basket and we were losing the light and we had tried this and we had tried that and tried this line and that line. And nothing was really working and I was literally just coming up snake eyes. And I said, ’Alright, I’ve got one for you. Just say, ‘I’m the king of the world,’ and just spread your arms out wide and just be in the moment and just love it and just celebrate it and love it.’ And [Leo] goes, ‘What?’
That single-word reaction from DiCaprio is pretty hilarious, but it gets even better. The Avatar creator continued:
[laughing] I’m giving this over the walkie-talkie, ‘What?’ I said, ‘I’m the king of the world. Just say I’m the king of the world, but you got to sell it. And he goes, ‘What?!’ [laughing] I go, ‘Just fucking sell it!’ So he gets up there…
And “sell it,” the Romeo + Juliet actor did. However, when the True Lies filmmaker tried the line himself, it didn’t come off as convincingly. Titanic garnered 14 nominations at the 70th Academy Awards, tying the record set by 1950’s All About Eve and later matched by La La Land. Throughout the night, James Cameron’s epic took home 11 Oscars. Despite the celebratory occasion, Cameron's Best Director speech became instantly polarizing. As he concluded his acceptance, he quoted the famous “king of the world” line, resulting in one of the corniest moments in Oscar history.
Fortunately, Cameron can now laugh about it, as he joked during the same BBC Radio 1 interview:
[to Leo] Here, I’ll show you how to do it! Just wait till the Oscars. [laughing]
Over 25 years have passed since Titanic premiered and James Cameron accepted his Oscar, yet the film continues to captivate audiences. Each year, we learn more about the making of the movie, which only adds to its impressive legacy. The Canadian director also addressed the infamous Titanic door debate. However, he doesn't view it as a debate at all. In the full interview, embedded below, he dismisses the controversy, calling it “stupid.”
If you want to revisit the iconic lines from one of the best movies of the 1990s, you can stream Titanic with a Paramount+ subscription. Additionally, check out our 2024 movie release schedule to find out what's coming to theaters soon.
