It’s a story that still haunts Hollywood nearly two decades later — and now, shocking new details have resurfaced. The woman who once attacked actor Leonardo DiCaprio at an exclusive party with a broken bottle reportedly snuck into the event because she believed the Oscar winner was her ex-boyfriend. What began as a glamorous night for the star turned into a bloodied, chaotic scene that made international headlines.
The incident happened in June 2005, inside a packed private house party in the Hollywood Hills. DiCaprio, then 30, was talking with friends near the DJ booth when a woman named Aretha Wilson suddenly lunged at him, smashing a glass bottle and slashing the side of his face. The actor was rushed to the hospital with a deep wound that required nearly a dozen stitches. As The Los Angeles Times reported at the time, Wilson had no invitation to the party — but managed to slip in by pretending to be part of another guest’s entourage.
Witnesses recalled the attack happening in seconds. “She came out of nowhere,” one partygoer told New York Daily News. “Everyone thought it was a joke at first until we saw the blood. He was holding his face and security swarmed in.”
“Everyone thought it was a joke at first until we saw the blood. He was holding his face.” — Witness to the attack @latimes
According to court records reviewed by NBC News, Wilson later told authorities that she genuinely believed DiCaprio was her ex-boyfriend — a man she had a volatile history with — and lashed out in what prosecutors described as a “delusional and violent outburst.” The revelation helped explain how the attack unfolded but didn’t lessen the severity of the charges.
Wilson fled the country shortly after the attack, sparking a years-long international pursuit. She was eventually arrested in Canada and extradited to Los Angeles in 2010. Prosecutors pushed for a lengthy prison sentence, arguing that DiCaprio could have been permanently disfigured. “She could have killed him,” a deputy district attorney said during the hearing, according to Reuters. “This was a brutal and completely unprovoked assault.”
DiCaprio, who had been preparing for a film role at the time, was left with a visible scar near his ear, though it was later minimized through surgery. Sources told People magazine that he was “deeply shaken” but determined not to let the incident derail his career. He later testified against Wilson in court, describing the attack as “completely surreal.”
“She came out of nowhere. I didn’t even know her. I felt something warm running down my face.” — Leonardo DiCaprio, courtroom testimony @people
“She came out of nowhere. I didn’t even know her. I felt something warm running down my face,” DiCaprio told the court during his testimony. He said he had been facing away from Wilson when the attack occurred and never saw it coming. Several witnesses corroborated his account, describing the scene as “pure chaos.”
Wilson ultimately pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to two years in state prison. She was released early and deported to Canada, where she has lived since. Though she publicly apologized through her attorney, she never spoke directly to DiCaprio again. “He moved on,” one friend told TMZ. “But it definitely left a scar — literally and emotionally.”
The attack has since become one of the most notorious celebrity assault cases in modern Hollywood memory, often cited as an example of how vulnerable stars can be at private events. It also highlighted the lack of security at the time, as Wilson had no formal invite yet slipped past multiple checkpoints. “This was a huge wake-up call for everyone in the industry,” a security consultant told Rolling Stone. “If Leonardo DiCaprio can be attacked in the middle of a party full of A-listers, anyone can.”
“If Leonardo DiCaprio can be attacked in the middle of a party full of A-listers, anyone can.” — Security consultant @RollingStone
Friends close to the actor said he became more cautious in the years after the assault, often traveling with added security and avoiding certain high-profile parties. At the time, his career was skyrocketing, with major roles in films like The Aviator and The Departed. “It was terrifying,” a longtime friend said. “He was at the peak of his fame and realized just how vulnerable he really was.”
The bottle attack wasn’t the first time Wilson had been involved in violent altercations, according to police records. She had a documented history of assaults and was known to law enforcement in Canada. But the DiCaprio case became the most public and damning episode, cementing her notoriety in tabloid headlines worldwide.
Nearly 20 years later, the incident remains a shocking chapter in DiCaprio’s otherwise carefully guarded personal life. While the scar is barely noticeable today, the event left a lasting impression — not just on him, but on Hollywood’s understanding of celebrity security. In recent interviews, associates have said the actor rarely discusses it. “He doesn’t like to talk about that night,” a friend said. “But everyone close to him remembers it clearly.”
“He doesn’t like to talk about that night. But everyone close to him remembers it clearly.” — Friend of DiCaprio @Guardian
In the years since, DiCaprio has gone on to become one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, winning an Oscar and starring in critically acclaimed films. But the chilling story of that night in 2005 remains a reminder of how fast fame can turn dangerous — and how a single moment can leave a scar that lasts far longer than the headlines.
