Leonardo DiCaprio told his name was ‘too ethnic’

Leonardo DiCaprio was once warned that his name was “too ethnic” for Hollywood.

The 50-year-old actor is one of the world’s highest-paid movie stars – but he was told by his first agent that he’d need to change his name in order to thrive in the film business.

During an appearance on the New Heights podcast, DiCaprio recalled: “I go, ‘What do you mean, it’s Leonardo DiCaprio?’ They go, ‘No, too ethnic. They’re never going to hire you.'”

The award-winning actor was actually given a new name to use by his former agent.

He was told: “‘Your new name is Lenny Williams’. I said, ‘What is Lenny?’ … ‘We took your middle name [Wilhelm] and we made it your [last name]. Now you’re Lenny.'”

However, DiCaprio’s dad, George DiCaprio, was quick to rubbish the idea.

The actor explained: “My dad saw his photo, ripped it up, and he said, ‘Over my dead body.'”

DiCaprio turned 50 in November 2024, and he previously revealed that he wanted to be “more honest” after celebrating his landmark birthday.

Speaking to Esquire UK, the movie star explained: “It [turning 50] creates a feeling like you have a desire to just be more honest and not waste your time.

“I can only imagine how the next few decades are going to progress. I look at my mother, for example, and she just says exactly what she thinks and wastes no time. She spends no time trying to fake it.”

DiCaprio is determined to not waste any time moving forwards. Despite this, the actor acknowledges that he risks “having things fall apart” because of his honest approach.

The acclaimed film star said: “Being more upfront and risking having things fall apart or risking the disagreements or risking going your separate ways from any type of relationship in life — the personal, the professional — it’s that you don’t want to waste your time any more. You have to just be much more upfront. It’s almost a responsibility, because much more of your life is behind you than it is ahead of you.”