Variety‘s Marc Malkin asked SAG Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio about his early days as an actor on Sunday night’s red carpet.

He talked about channeling fellow nominee Joaquin Phoenix during one of his earlier auditions. (Phoenix won for Best actor later, and namechecked DiCaprio as the kid who got all the parts when they were both getting started…)

Leo also shared his experiences working with the late Luke Perry on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Perry’s last bigscreen appearance. He said that he was “starstruck”, calling him a

“modern day James Dean.”

Perry was remembered, with others in the In Memorium segment that night. He passed away at the age of 52 of a stroke last March.

Watch.