(VIDEO) CULLUM READS EM'S FAT LADY TALE

John Cullum reads the opening chapter "CIRCLE OF IVY," a book that truthfully tells the story of a fat woman endangering her life with trying to lose weight.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO

How did this actor do it? Transform himself from a typical California actor into what he is now?

Physically he has ordinary features -- there's nothing odd, nothing unusual about his nose, mouth or chin -- it's a good face, and a good body. He's not short, or unusually tall -- or broad, fat, skinny, not flabby or super muscular. He just appears to be a regular, typical, normal, ordinary guy.

He started doing commercials when he was five; landed a recurring role in a soap opera, at 16, was in a sitcom; his film debut, at 17, was in the sci-fi horror film, ("Critters 3.") He was praised by critics for "This Boy's Life," then praised for "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "Marvin's Room," "The Basketball Diaries," -- at 22, he got raves for the film, "Romeo and Juliet." The following year, he exploded into international fame in "Titanic."

Since then, he's been nominated for awards for his work in "Catch Me If You Can," "Gangs of New York," "The Aviator," "Blood Diamond," "The Departed," "Revolutionary Road," and "Django Unchained." (Also Clint Eastwoods "J. Edgar," and a host of other films, too many to list in this summary.)

There's interesting celeb gossip about him and the models he dates that seems to fall into a pattern -- after the romance has cooled (they last for months, even a year or two), the relationship is maintained. My star-watcher eyes have me thinking IS he gay, making sure that we think he's straight? I dismiss this as silly, old-fashioned, out-of-date.

That DiCaprio's a strong, articulate, philanthropical environmentalist -- that's a big wow. DiCaprio's vocal, and financial support of this major world concern is significant and effective. But what truly, deeply impresses me is his acting. The way he transforms himself in films is marvelous.

Yes -- marvelous -- I rarely use that word. Some of my husband, John Cullum's performances in musicals were marvelous. 

Hey Leonardo DiCaprio. 'I'm crowning you, presenting you with an EM-Oscar for what you are, what you do -- the films that you choose to do -- the astounding -- yes, astounding way you are growing and expanding as an artist.

Here's a clip from a film he did at age 28, with Tom Hanks -- it's not as astounding as "The Revenant," which won him his Oscar, but I've been fascinated and entertained again and again by "Catch Me If You Can." For me, it's a Leonardo DiCaprio classic.