DYK Leonardo DiCaprio Was Asked To Change His Name To This? Actor Reveals Agent Called It Too Ethnic

Leonardo DiCaprio has become a household name since the time he stepped into Hollywood, and has been celebrated for both his charisma and exceptional acting range. His roles in movies like What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Titanic, and Inception captured audiences worldwide. Beyond his good looks, his dedication to complex characters and powerful performances earned him critical acclaim, culminating in an Academy Award for his role in The Revenant. But before all of this, as a young and aspiring actor, Leonardo DiCaprio was once advised to change his name because it sounded "too ethnic".

Leonardo DiCaprio recently appeared on Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast, where he shared an interesting story from his early acting days. In his teenage years, when he first professionally pursued acting, an agent suggested he adopt a different name. “I finally got an agent and they said: ‘Your name is too ethnic,’ I go, What do you mean?’ They go, ‘No, too ethnic. They’re never going to hire you. Your new name is Lenny Williams. ‘What’s Lenny Williams?’ We took your middle name and made it your last name and now (your first) name is Lenny.’ And my dad saw (the headshot photo the agent took), he ripped it up, and said, ‘Over my dead body’,” Leonardo DiCaprio said.

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At that point, Benicio del Toro, who was also present with the Titanic actor, gestured to himself and said “Benny Del”, hinting that he, too, got similar advice early in his career. Leonardo DiCaprio and Guillermo del Toro were further asked to name their top movies, their "Mount Rushmore" of film. DiCaprio's picks included East of Eden, Taxi Driver, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Meanwhile, del Toro chose Papillon and On the Waterfront as two of his all-time favourites.

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On the cinematic front, Leonardo DiCaprio will soon be seen in the upcoming movie One Battle After Another. It is an action thriller from director Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and newcomer Chase Infiniti. The movie is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland.