EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood's New Howard Hughes? How Leonardo DiCaprio Has Chosen to 'Live Like a Hermit' In Between Movies
Leonardo DiCaprio has made it a point to keep his personal life out of the spotlight.
Dec. 13 2025, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Leonardo DiCaprio has embraced what friends describe as a near-monastic, Howard Hughes-style routine between film shoots, retreating from public life in what insiders tell RadarOnline.com is an attempt to "live like a hermit" while he resets from the pressures of global fame.
The 51-year-old actor, who has worked consistently in Hollywood since his teens and played reclusive billionaire Hughes in 2004 biopic The Aviator, has long wrestled with how to balance his public persona with a fiercely guarded private life.
DiCaprio 'Wants Quiet'
DiCaprio retreated from public life after finishing his latest promotional tour.
His new approach, according to industry sources, comes as he is reflecting on decades of scrutiny and constant speculation surrounding his relationships, whereabouts, and creative decisions.
DiCaprio's withdrawal now typically begins the moment a promotional tour ends, when he disappears from events, declines invitations, and confines himself to a small circle of trusted friends at his home in Los Angeles.
Speaking to TIME Magazine after being named the mag's Entertainer of the Year, DiCaprio said about life in the spotlight: "It's been a balance I've been managing my whole adult life, and I'm still not an expert.
"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."
A source said DiCaprio's instinct now is to pull back "further than ever" from public life.
The insider claimed: "Leo has realized he functions best when he steps away completely. He wants quiet, he wants stillness, and he's not pretending otherwise."
DiCaprio's Plan For a 'Long Career'
DiCaprio has settled down more with his girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti.
The movie star's instinct to vanish dates back to the global frenzy unleashed by his role in Titanic in 1997.
DiCaprio recalled about the frenzy: "I was like, OK, how do I have a long career? Because I love what I do, and feel like the best way to have a long career is to get out of people's face."
A production source added his strategy to withdraw is now "deliberate and effective."
They claimed: "After Titanic, he saw the Hollywood machine up close. Now, when he's not filming, he gives himself permission to disappear."
Concerns Over AI and Art
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DiCaprio's isolation is not solely about guarding his personal life. Those close to him say he uses the time to reflect on the evolving nature of his craft and the challenges facing the film industry.
His concerns include the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and its potential to disrupt creative work.
DiCaprio said about the tech: "It could be an enhancement tool for a young filmmaker to do something we've never seen before," however, he stressed, "I think anything that is going to be authentically thought of as art has to come from the human being."
A studio executive familiar with DiCaprio's thinking said the actor's caution over AI advances stems from a genuine belief in the fragility of human-made art.
They claimed: "Leo is not anti-technology, but he worries about what happens when the spark of humanity is diluted."
Sources said his quiet retreats sparked deeper creativity and reflection.
DiCaprio has also been reflecting on the future of cinema itself and what innovations might redefine the medium.
He explained: "I was just thinking the other day, I wonder what the next most shocking thing is going to be in cinema, because so much has been done that has moved the needle."
Another source close to the One Battle After Another star said his hermit-like routine nurtures that curiosity.
"When Leo retreats, that's when he thinks most deeply about his craft," they claimed.
