Leonardo DiCaprio revealed during the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce and Benicio del Toro that his agent once insisted on changing his real name because it was “too ethnic.”
The young DiCaprio, then around 12 or 13 years old, was encouraged to rebrand himself as “Lenny Williams,” a stage name adapted from his middle name Wilhelm.
His father intervened, expressing strong disapproval by tearing up photos bearing the alternate name, effectively ending the suggestion.
Benicio del Toro also recalled facing pressure to alter his name to “Benny Del.” Both actors ultimately kept their birth names and achieved global recognition.
DiCaprio’s story sheds light on the cultural pressures minority artists face in Hollywood’s casting and branding practices.
