Bad news or good news? Leonardo DiCaprio is not playing Rumi in upcoming film

Los Angeles: While known for playing iconic characters ranging from Howard Hughes in The Aviator to Hugh Glass in The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio will reportedly not be essaying Persian poet Rumi anytime soon.

Screenwriter David Franzoni and producer Stephen Joel Brown, who are working on a film about the 13th century poet, said in an interview that DiCaprio was their top choice to play Rumi.

However, sources say no one from the film has reached out to DiCaprio about the project, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

“He hasn’t been asked, but regardless he will not be pursuing the project,” sources close to DiCaprio said.

Meanwhile, thousands of people signed a petition demanding producers cast a Middle Eastern actor to play Persian poet Rumi in the film.

The petitioners called it the “Hollywood whitewashing: for not giving Muslim actors positive roles and typecasting them as negative only.