Why did Leonardo DiCaprio's parents separated?

Answer 1

They grew apart. Alfred Lennon was a ship's steward who was away at sea for long periods of time. On one voyage, his ship was in port in New York when he learned the ship was to be pressed into military service (World War II was at its height), and he might not get home to England for the duration.

Rather than be caught up, he jumped ship, and tried to get back home on his own. It took him until after the war was over... by which time Julia, who hadn't heard from him the whole time, had found another man. (She had also had another child, that was adopted.)

Julia and Alfred Lennon grew apart. He was a ship's steward, who was gone for long periods of time, and even longer when World War II broke out. Lennon learned in New York that the ship he worked on was about to be pressed into military service, and he might not be allowed to return home, so he deliberately missed sailing time, and tried to make his own way back to England.

It took him nearly five years to get home, by which time Julia had moved on, thinking he'd deserted her. She had already had one baby by another man, which had been given up for adoption, and was living with a third man by the time Lennon made it back to Liverpool. They couldn't reconcile, and forced four-year-old John to choose which parent he wanted to live with. John initially chose his father (having just gone on holiday with him to Blackpool, where they'd had a lot of fun), but when he saw Julia walk away crying, he ran after her.

John didn't see his father again for about twenty years, and Julia handed him over to her sister Mimi to raise, so he effectively lost them both (though Julia remained close by). Julia continued to live with her boyfriend, later bearing and raising two daughters with him, and assuming his name (Dykins), but she and Alfred Lennon were never actually divorced.

Julia and Alfred Lennon grew apart. He was a ship's steward, who was gone for long periods of time, and even longer when World War II broke out. Lennon learned in New York that the ship he worked on was about to be pressed into military service, and he might not be allowed to return home, so he deliberately missed sailing time, and tried to make his own way back to England.

It took him nearly five years to get home, by which time Julia had moved on, thinking he'd deserted her. She had already had one baby by another man, which had been given up for adoption, and was living with a third man by the time Lennon made it back to Liverpool. They couldn't reconcile, and forced four-year-old John to choose which parent he wanted to live with. John initially chose his father (having just gone on holiday with him to Blackpool, where they'd had a lot of fun), but when he saw Julia walk away crying, he ran after her.

John didn't see his father again for about twenty years, and Julia handed him over to her sister Mimi to raise, so he effectively lost them both (though Julia remained close by). Julia continued to live with her boyfriend, later bearing and raising two daughters with him, and assuming his name (Dykins), but she and Alfred Lennon were never actually divorced.