Leonardo DiCaprio says he was once told to change his name to 'Lenny Williams'

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has talked about his early years in the world of cinema and shared that he was once told that his name was "too ethnic" for Hollywood.

One of the world's highest-paid movie stars, the 50-year-old actor 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, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

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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, the actor’s father, George DiCaprio, was quick to rubbish the idea, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

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

He turned 50 in November 2024, and the actor 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."