Leonardo DiCaprio has revealed that he was told to change his name to further his career.

The Titanic actor has revealed that he was once advised to choose a new stage name if he wanted to succeed in Hollywood.

Speaking on the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, hosted by Travis and Jason Kelce, DiCaprio shared that his agent had recommended a new stage name because his real name sounded "too ethnic".

He explained that at around 12 or 13 years old, after a long struggle to secure representation, his agent offered some blunt advice.

"'Your name is too ethnic,'" DiCaprio recalled being told. "I go, 'What do mean? It's Leonardo DiCaprio.' They go, 'No, too ethnic. They're never gonna hire you. Your new name is Lenny Williams.'"

He explained that "Williams" came from his middle name, Wilhelm. The new name was even printed on his headshot, something his father, George DiCaprio, was quick to reject.

"My dad saw his photo, ripped it up, and he said, 'Over my dead body,'" the Wolf of Wall Street actor recalled.

DiCaprio also reflected on his early struggles to land roles, despite having started auditioning from a young age.

"I remember auditioning when I was very young. I was like a child actor," he said. "My stepbrother was an actor, and there were these acting agents that that would line you up like cattle. I was a break dancer. I'd break dance for, like, money on the streets sometimes."

He remembered watching other children sign with agents and telling his father how disheartening the process felt.

"I remember saying to my dad, 'This is horrible.' I went back, and they did it again. 'Yes. Yes. No. No,'" he told Travis and Jason. "I just remember, my dad saying, you know, 'Someday you're gonna have your time, son. Just keep at it. Keep at it.'"