Recent events that led to Leonardo DiCaprio finally receiving his very first Academy Award has prompted many to look through some of his old works as actor. In partnership with Martin Scorses. he created Departed. The storyline is a tale of the Irish mafia, a tale that has in fact been inspired by the very real life of gangster boss James Bulger. Rumors has it that Jack Nicholson’s role ‘Frank Castello’ was inspired by this very man. No surprise here, seeing that Bulger’s life was just as exciting as depicted in the movie. He came from rough backgrounds, leaving him on the wrong side of life very early on. His influence on the criminal scene of Boston rose quickly and after only a couple of years, he became the boss of the Winter Hill Gang. Accompanied by his partners, he quickly made a name for himself in Boston’s underground scenes. It is rumored that he was responsible for 19 murders. Despite the fact that his head was hunted by the police, he managed to be on the run for 16 years. His freedom ended when he was arrested and convicted in 2011.
Photo: DPA/Boston Police Department
