Leonardo DiCaprio has his eyes set on the upcoming movie featuring Billy Milligan, the first person who used a multiple-personality disorder as a defense and the first person to be acquitted of major crimes by this reason.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Leo has been extremely interested in Billy's story for 20 years and wants to play the lead role. The actor's production company Appian Way, as well as New Regency will produce the movie entitled "The Crowded Room."

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After Milligan died in 2014, The Dispatch published a story describing how his case helped in propelling the mental health diagnosis of multiple personality disorder from anonymity to notoriety. Milligan was charged by the Columbus police with various crimes including robbing, kidnapping and raping three women, back in 1977 around the area of the Ohio State University.

Milligan, was born as William, but because of his various personalities, he was also known as Arthur, Adalana, Ragen, Christene, just to name a few. During one of his trials, a psychiatrist appeared in the witness stand and said that Milligan had 24 different personalities. 

The accused spent 10 years in different mental hospitals before he was finally released in 1988. He was suffering from cancer when he died in a nursing home on December 12 of last year at 59 years old.

Milligan, who was Florida-born, was raised in Lancaster and Circleville.

His first rape occurred on October 14, 1977. He stopped an optometry student at gunpoint and led her to a secluded wooded area. When he was done, he asked to write a check and cash it for him.

The second and third happened on October 22 and October 26, respectively. On October 27, one of Milligan's victims was able to successfully identify his face out of various mug shots.

Milligan, who was 22 at the time, had already been convicted of rape before and had also spent a year in prison for robbery. His fingerprint on file was matched to a fingerprint found on the car of one victim and was immediately arrested.

Milligan was treated at the Athens Mental Health Center, which is now owned and managed by the Ohio University. The story of his treatment was revealed in a book published in 1981 entitled "The Minds of Billy Milligan," written by Daniel Keyes.

TagsLeonardo DiCaprio, Billy Milligan, The Crowded Room