Leonardo DiCaprio has revealed that an agent once advised him to change his name to ensure success in Hollywood.

The Titanic actor was reminiscing about the early days of his career on this week's episode of Jason and Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast.

DiCaprio, who is of Italian and German descent, was advised that his name was "too ethnic" and that producers were "never going to hire" him.

He shared that the agent suggested his new name be Lenny Williams, a combination of his first name and his middle name, Wilhelm.

The movie star said his father saw his headshot with his reinvented name and "ripped it up", saying, "Over my dead body."

His One Battle After Another co-star Benicio Del Toro was also on the podcast, and shared a similar story, saying that he was given the name Benny Del.

Retired NFL star Jason quipped, "This podcast would not be the same with Lenny Williams and Benny Del."

DiCaprio looked back on his start in the entertainment business, including appearing in Matchbox cars commercials as a teen.

By the early 1990s he was a regular on the TV show Growing Pains, from where he scored roles in the movies This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape.