Leonardo DiCaprio plays real-life stockbroker Jordan Belfort in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street.
Released in 2013, the film is based on Belfort’s memoir of the same name. It depicts his rise through the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont, whose sales operation became associated with aggressive penny-stock promotion and securities fraud.
The screenplay was written by Terence Winter, and the cast includes Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, and Matthew McConaughey. The film uses Belfort’s narration and frequently satirical scenes to portray wealth, excess, manipulation, and the consequences of financial crime.
Belfort pleaded guilty to fraud and related offenses in 1998. He was sentenced in 2003 and later became a motivational speaker and author. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for DiCaprio, but did not win an Oscar.