Grounded Leonardo DiCaprio

Feb 17, 2010, 6:03 GMT

Leonardo DiCaprio understands why some actors go "nuts".

The 'Sutter Island' star - who has been acting since he was 15 but hit worldwide stardom when he starred in 1997's 'Titanic' - says it's important to keep grounded when experiencing fame and success because it can be taken away very quickly.

He said: "Just because you've done a good performance once, doesn't mean you're always going to be good. That's why some of the greatest actors in the world have gone a little bit nuts. They're saying to themselves, 'What happened? You used to love me?' It's an easy trap to fall into. You just have to realise that when you're hot, you're hot, and when you're not, you're not."

The 35-year-old heartthrob says his friends help him stay down-to-earth as they won't let him act like a star.

He told parade.com: "I know this is going to sound lame, but one of my favourite things is hanging out with my friends. They take me away from the world of show business and keep me grounded. It brings me back to who I am. When I didn't want to go out in public after all the craziness surrounding 'Titanic', they sort of pushed me out the door. They were like, 'Are you going to hide out like a little hermit?' "