The Academy Awards share BTS pictures of Titanic; did you know the DiCaprio film stayed in theatres for almost 10 months?

Directed by James Cameron, the epic romantic saga, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, was nominated for a staggering 14 Oscars, leading to 11 wins for Best Picture, Directing, Visual Effects, Score, Original Song, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Film Editing, Sound and Sound Effects Editing.

Only three films–All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016) in the history of Oscars have received 14 nominations.

The Academy wrote, “Titanic holds the record of being the first film to gross over $1 billion worldwide at the box office and remained the most successful film of all-time until being unseated by James Cameron himself with 2009's Avatar.”

Here are some of the lesser-known facts about Titanic, in no specific order:

• More than 150 extras were given the names and backstories of real Titanic passengers by director James Cameron.
• To give the film a more authentic look, most of the extras were given a three-hour lecture on proper 1912 behaviour and mannerisms.
• Rose's final pink dress in the film was designed to look as good wet as it did dry. Deborah Lynn Scott, the costume designer, created 24 identical versions of the dress.
• Titanic was the first non-musical Best Picture winner to also receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song (Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On").

• River Phoenix was James Cameron's first choice for the role of Jack Dawson. However, Phoenix had died by the time the film was made, and Leonardo DiCaprio was the perfect age at 21. Johnny Depp was reportedly offered the part, but he turned it down.
• The film was so popular that Paramount was forced to send replacement reels to theatres after their copies were worn out.
• The film stayed in theatres for almost 10 months, having debuted in America on December 19, 1997, and finally closing on October 1, 1998.
• Captain Smith was offered to Robert De Niro, but he declined due to a gastrointestinal infection at the time.

• During production, the crew felt that James Cameron had an evil alter ego, and nicknamed him "Mij" (Jim spelt backwards).
• The filmmakers only had one shot to get it right in the dramatic scene where the water crashes into the Grand Staircase room because the entire set and furnishings would be destroyed in the scene.
• During the filming of the lifeboat scenes, James Cameron famously threatened to fire anyone who tried to get out of the tank for a bathroom break. As a result, several actors had to relieve themselves in the water (including Kate Winslet).

• A powder was applied to the actors' faces to make the bodies in the water appear frozen, which then crystallised when exposed to water. Wax was also applied to everyone's clothes and hair, giving them a glossy, frozen appearance.
• When Rose meets Jack in the final scene of the film, the clock on the staircase behind them reads the exact time the ship sank (2:20 a.m.).
• Titanic was the first film to be released on video while it was also still being shown in theatres.

(Titanic streams on Disney+Hostar)