Leonardo DiCaprio says he would rather stay out of the spotlight as much as he can, despite becoming a global star in his early 20s after the massive success of Titanic.
The 51-year-old Actor has just been named TIME’s Entertainer of the Year, and in the new interview, he explained the long struggle of balancing fame with a desire for privacy.
“It’s been a balance I’ve been managing my whole adult life,” he said. “I think my simple philosophy is only get out there and do something when you have something to say, or you have something to show for it. Otherwise, just disappear as much as you possibly can.”
He added that his goal has always been a long career: “I was like, ‘Okay, how do I have a long career? Because I love what I do… the best way is to get out of people’s face.’”
The interview also explains why DiCaprio rarely steps out without hiding his identity. The Actor is almost never spotted in public without a Hat and Face Mask.
He started wearing the Mask during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has become a permanent part of his everyday wardrobe, Daily Mail reported.
Not even a star-studded Wedding could make him drop the disguise. At Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s Wedding earlier this year, DiCaprio was seen leaving his Hotel in a Tuxedo with his Cap pulled low over his face.
But when it’s time for work, he removes the coverings for Movie Premieres, Interviews and other Publicity events.
DiCaprio became a household name nearly 30 years ago after playing Jack Dawson in Titanic. The blockbuster changed everything for him, including his anonymity.
In a 2016 Interview with Deadline, he recalled how overwhelming the fame was: “Before Titanic, I had no conception of what any of that meant. It was shocking… people said it was the biggest Movie ever, and I didn’t understand what that meant.”
He said the massive spotlight shifted his focus away from acting for a while. Titanic, which he starred in alongside Kate Winslet, was supposed to be an experiment after both had mainly done independent films.
“We did it, and it became something we could’ve never foreseen,” he said. “I knew there was an expectation for me to do a certain thing at that point, and I had to get back to what my intentions were from the onset.”
TITANIC became an instant global hit, earning 14 Academy Award nominations and winning 11, including Best Picture. It also grossed nearly $2 billion during its initial release and later passed that mark after several re-releases.
Although it was eventually overtaken by Avatar in 2009, the Movie remains one of the most successful Films of all time.
