Leonardo DiCaprio opened up on how his agent once wanted him to change his name in a recent appearance on the New Heights podcast. As his agent believed his name was “ethnic,” he suggested performing under a stage name, saying no one would hire him if he went by his original name.
Leonardo DiCaprio says his agent asked him to change his name
During a conversation with Jason and Travis Kelce on the New Heights podcast, DiCaprio, who featured on the podcast with Benicio del Toro, revealed that one of his early agents suggested he perform under a stage name as his original name was “too ethnic.” The Titanic star added, “I finally got an agent. They said, ‘Your name is too ethnic. I go, ‘What do you mean? It’s Leonardo DiCaprio.’ They go, ‘No, too ethnic.” He revealed that the agent said that no one in the industry would hire him if he went by the name Leonardo DiCaprio and thus suggested a new name. DiCaprio mentioned that his agent asked him to go by the name Lenny Williams.
DiCaprio further revealed that he questioned his agent about the unique name, saying, “I said, ‘What is Lenny?’ I was 12,13. I said, ‘What is Lenny Williams?’ ‘We took your middle name, and we made it — now you’re Lenny.” He then revealed to his The One Battle After Another co-star, Benicio Del Toro, that his father discovered the name change and instantly refused. His father saw a headshot with the name, Lenny Williams, “ripped it up, and he said, ‘Over my dead body.’” Toro related to DiCaprio’s situation, revealing that even he faced a similar incident when he was asked to rename himself as Benny Del.
Without changing his name, DiCaprio undeniably became one of the biggest movie stars, earning massive fame and success throughout his illustrious career. He is now set to star as “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun/Bob Ferguson in the upcoming movie, One Battle After Another, releasing on September 26, 2025.
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