Hollywood A-lister, Leonardo DiCaprio Finally Snagged Oscars Gold

Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio finally snagged Oscars gold on Sunday, 22 years after his first Academy Award nomination – proving he really is not just a pretty face.

Though one of the world’s biggest and most bankable stars – “Titanic” rocketed him to the A-list in 1997 – the 41-year-old had been unable until now to take home the golden statuette despite four previous acting nominations.

This year, however, his intense portrayal of 19th century fur trapper Hugh Glass in the survival epic “The Revenant” – large sections of it without words – won immediate praise, making his victory seen almost a foregone conclusion.

DiCaprio earned a standing ovation from the crowd at the Dolby Theatre, and used his speech to drive home a message about stopping climate change, but also acknowledged the importance of the moment.

“Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted,” he said.

Later, he told reporters, “This is a journey I will never forget with Alejandro. We have a great film to look back on for years to come.”

DiCaprio bested a tough field – fellow nominees were Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Michael Fassbender and last year’s winner Eddie Redmayne.

In the past, his Oscar dreams – his nominated roles came in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “The Aviator,” “Blood Diamond” and “The Wolf of Wall Street”- had faded in the face of stiff competition.

But this time, his all-out effort to bring Glass to the screen – eating raw bison liver, wading into icy rivers – rang true for Oscars voters.

The victory on Sunday only adds to the glow of the life of Leo, which is the stuff of Hollywood films.

The confirmed bachelor is known for dating supermodels, raises millions of dollars for charity and had an audience with Pope Francis last month to talk about climate change.

Born on November 11, 1974 to a hippie couple in Los Angeles, DiCaprio has credited his parents – who separated shortly after he was born – with encouraging him while keeping his feet squarely on the ground.