Indian fans, particularly those of the Punjabi community, reacted with surprise and pride on finding out that Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has a family connection with the Sikh religion. DiCaprio revealed in an interview that his stepmother Peggy DiCaprio follows Sikhism and lives as an Amrithdhari Sikh.
“My stepmother is a Sikh. My father is from the sort of hippie counterculture and grew up in San Fran in Los Angeles. He hung out with a lot of the underground art movement in Los Angeles in the ‘70s,” the actor said, according to the Free Press Journal.
READ: ‘Harsh’ visa freeze to target Sikh truckers, straining America’s supply chain (
DiCaprio also mentioned an amusing incident from the sets of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” when co-star Brad Pitt was surprised by the appearance of his father’s and stepmother’s appearance. DiCaprio jokingly recalled that Pitt initially assumed they were part of the film’s background cast, only to realize later that this was simply how his parents dressed in everyday life.
“Fans across the world, especially within the Sikh community, praised the openness and respect shown in the story. Many called it a moment of pride, saying it highlights how Sikh values and identity quietly exist across cultures, even in the heart of Hollywood,” a Punjabi-culture focused Instagram page said.
“Proud moment for the entire Sikh community & all Indians that Leonardo DiCaprio’s Mother has turned into a proper Sikh.” a fan said on social media, “I’m a Sikh – no turban for me though – and it’s wild that one of the most famous actors on the planet is connected somehow to a religion that is not as widely followed as others.”
READ: Sikh groups host langar on Capitol Hill with members of Congress in attendance (
DiCaprio’s stepmother reportedly converted to Sikhism a long time ago, but only started wearing a turban a few years ago. According to the IMDb biography of Adam Farrar, DiCaprio’s stepbrother, it is noted that his parents were devotees of the late Yogi Bhajan, an American entrepreneur and yoga guru. Peggy DiCaprio earlier lived in northern California when she was with her first husband Michael who managed a dairy farm. Adam was four years old when they separated.
Peggy met George DiCaprio for the first time during one of her trips to San Francisco with her theatre group. She shifted to Los Angeles along with Adam, Leonardo’s step brother after her second marriage in 1995. Leonardo was just 1-year-old at the time.
On the work front, Leonardo DiCaprio was last seen in “One Battle After Another,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, and co-starring Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor. He will reportedly be next seen in “What Happens at Night,” co-starring Jennifer Lawrence.