Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio Have Come a Long Way

"They're fascinating together," says "Lies" co-star Mark Strong. "Russell is very full of energy, always moving. Leo is more introverted. Russell takes a scene by the throat, while Leo tends to be meticulous. Some A-list actors don't like to share scenes, but they seem to do it naturally."

Bonded over intense training

From the beginning of their friendship, they have been a study in contrasts. DiCaprio was a cinephile by the time he began "Quick," having studied Crowe even in the tiny Australian film "Romper Stomper," in which Crowe played a skinhead.

Related

WATCH: DiCaprio and Crowe Praise Newman

"He's the quintessential student," says Scott, who has done four films with Crowe, but "Body of Lies" is his first with DiCaprio. "He'll sit back and absorb everything for a couple of days, then suddenly, he's caught up."

Crowe, meanwhile, was already gaining a reputation as a headstrong, if not hotheaded, actor. Sam Raimi, who directed "Quick," remembers once helping crewmembers throw dirt and manure on Crowe for a scene. "I may be the only man who was ever able to get away with throwing cow pies at Russell," he jokes.

But for all their differences, the young actors found they shared something: an almost obsessive preparation for a film role. Both spent hours with trainers learning how to dismantle and quick-draw their six shooters.

"A lot of actors are afraid of props; hell, they can't walk and talk at the same time," Crowe says. "Leo had this focus. I could relate to that, particularly with the dynamic of all the veteran actors. So we mucked it up and laughed to alleviate that tension."

That included playing a running prank on DiCaprio: Every time Crowe caught his co-star in the makeup chair, he feigned a sneeze and sprayed DiCaprio with a fine mist of moisture. Crowe only recently let on that it was bottled water.

"Working with him is a little like hopping on a train," DiCaprio says. "You just have to have faith and make that leap. But once you're on, you realize how focused he really is."

"Quick" grossed just $18 million at the box office, barely half the film's budget. But the actors found stardom soon afterward. While they went in different directions, they watched each other's star rise.