Leonardo DiCaprio is opening up about the early days of his career.
During a recent interview on Jason and Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast, the 50-year-old actor discussed his experience as a child actor and how his dad stopped him from making a big change.
“I finally got an agent, they said, ‘Your name is too ethnic,'” he explained. “I go, ‘What do you mean? It’s Leonardo DiCaprio.’ They go, ‘No, too ethnic. They’re never going to hire you. Your new name is Lenny Williams.’”
He recalled saying, “What is Lenny?”, and when his father heard the idea of the name change, he responded, “Over my dead body.”
It seems as though his father had the right instincts, as DiCaprio went on to find immense success. He first gained national attention when he joined the cast of “Growing Pains” in its last season, later receiving his first Academy Award nomination at the age of 19 for his role in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.”
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He then became Hollywood’s go-to leading man after starring in “Romeo + Juliet” and “Titanic.” However, he didn’t always have good experiences auditioning.
“I remember auditioning when I was very young,” he said. “I was like a child actor. My stepbrother was an actor. And there were these acting agents that would line you up like cattle, and they just go … yes, yes, no. And they look at me, no.”
He told his father that the experience was “horrible,” then said, “I just remember my dad saying, you know, ‘Someday you’re going to have your time, son. Just keep at it. Keep at it.’”
When looking back, DiCaprio considers starring in “This Boy’s Life” with Robert De Niro at 16 years old the “big ‘oh wow’ moment” of his career. He explained that he “wanted to be an actor very, very young,” saying he would imitate his parents’ friends when he was four years old and was excited when he found out he could do it for a job.
After years in the industry, the actor told People earlier this month that he plans to take a step back from Hollywood and become much more selective when it comes to the roles he takes on.
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“I’m slowing down a bit,” DiCaprio said, before adding that he couldn’t say no to working with director Paul Thomas Anderson on his latest comedy, “One Battle After Another.”
“I think anytime would’ve been the right time, to be honest,” he continued. “Ever since I met Paul early on and I saw ‘Boogie Nights,’ I’ve been an obsessive fan of his work, watched all his movies. His films ruminate in my mind and they’re conversation pieces with my friends, they last.”
“Awards can come and go,” he added. “Accolades, box office can come and go, but those pieces of art, that you still talk about and still think about and still question. Those are the films that we strive for as an actor. And Paul is the dude of our generation that does them.”
This is the first collaboration between DiCaprio and Anderson, as the actor previously passed on an opportunity to work with him.
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He explained in an August interview with Esquire, “I’ll say it even though you’re here: My biggest regret is not doing ‘Boogie Nights.’ It was a profound movie of my generation. I can’t imagine anyone but Mark [Wahlberg] in it. When I finally got to see that movie, I just thought it was a masterpiece.”
