Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has been a familiar name in Hollywood ever since his breakout role in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), followed by hits like Romeo & Juliet and Titanic. But not many know that before he became a global star, he was once advised to change his name — and the reason might surprise you.

Leonardo DiCaprio was told to change his name

The Oscar-winning actor spoke about the terrible advice he once received from a talent agent when he appeared on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast along with his One Battle After Another co-star Benicio del Toro.

When asked about shocking moments in their career, DiCaprio said he had a “fun one” from when he was a very young actor. DiCaprio’s first agent secured him a headshot photo. The actor said an agent told him in his early teens that his name was “too ethnic”, and suggested he go by the stage name Lenny Williams instead.

“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’,” DiCaprio said.

At that point, del Toro gestured to himself and said “Benny Del”, hinting that he, too, got similar advice early in his career.

During the conversation, they were also asked what was “on their Mount Rushmore of movies”. DiCaprio listed East of Eden, Taxi Driver and 2001: A Space Odyssey, while del Toro cited Papillon and On the Waterfront.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest film

Leonardo DiCaprio will soon be seen in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. The film follows Bob Ferguson, played by DiCaprio, and his wife Perfidia Beverly Hills, played by singer Teyana Taylor. They are a loving but strained couple that embark on daring humanitarian missions in modern-day America.