Leonardo DiCaprio Reveals He Met River Phoenix the Night he Died

Leonardo DiCaprio is styling on the cover of the new Esquire, in which he speaks candidly about River Phoenix and co-star Kate Winslet.

He tells the magazine: "When I was 18, River Phoenix was far and away my hero. I always wanted to meet him. One night, I was at this Halloween party, and he passed me. He was beyond pale -- he looked white. Before I got a chance to say hello, he was gone, driving off to the Viper Room, where he fell over and died. That’s a lesson."

Leo has often been compared to his former hero, due to both his physical appearance and raw talent.