In a conversation with Vladimir Putin, Leonardo DiCaprio said that the surname of his ancestors was the Smirnovs. Moreover, not only his grandmother was Russian, but also his grandfather.

“So I’m half Russian, not a quarter,” said the actor, whose American veins have Italian and German blood in addition to Russian.

DiCaprio's grandmother is Helen Indenbirken, nee Elena Smirnova, who emigrated from Russia to Germany and died two years ago at the age of 83. In an interview, she repeatedly said how proud she was of her famous grandson and rejoiced at his arrival to her in Germany, where she and her husband decided to settle after 30 years of living in America.

“We moved to the States in the early 50s,” Indenbirken said. - My daughter was born in a bomb shelter in 1943, during an air raid. There were hard times. But we emigrated to America in 1955, and not in 1943, as some newspapers say. And how was this possible during the war? In New York we lived in the sector with many Germans. In 1985, my husband and I left the “American way of life” behind and moved back to Germany.”

Helen Indenbirken, in numerous interviews with which German journalists simply tortured her, noted that success did not change Leonardo's attitude towards her. He was still her little grandson, who enjoyed spending time with her and her grandfather in Ohr-Erkenschvik, North Rhine-Westphalia, when the filming schedule allowed.

By the way, the Russian grandmother also often visited DiCaprio. For example, she attended the filming of Titanic in Mexico and accompanied Leo to the grand premiere of this film in London. She communicated with her grandson in English, but sometimes, as a joke, Leo tried to switch to German he had long forgotten. When asked if he spoke Russian, DiCaprio replied to Putin: “No, but if my grandmother were here, she would speak Russian with you.”

Recall that Leonardo got to St. Petersburg, where the International Forum on the Conservation of the Tiger Population was held, only the third time.

Speaking at a concert at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, Putin thanked the artists who arrived from countries where tigers live.

“I would like to speak separately about this famous and beloved American actor in many countries of the world, not only because he contributed a million dollars of his own money to the Wildlife Fund, although this is also important, and thanks to him for this, but it’s not only about this,” Putin said. “The day before yesterday, he took off on a regular plane, and when the plane gained altitude, one of the engines caught fire. We must pay tribute to the American pilots, who showed courage, composure and professionalism and, in order to start the fire extinguishing system, turned off all the engines and the aircraft was in a state of free fall for several seconds. After that, the engines were started and returned to New York.”

“I think that not everyone would have the desire to continue the journey, but Mr. DiCaprio is not one of them,” Putin stressed. He got into another plane, a small private one, and continued his journey. But the adventure didn't end there. Due to the extremely strong wind over the ocean, the plane ran out of fuel ahead of schedule and was forced to land in Helsinki... The plane was refueled in Helsinki, and Mr. DiCaprio did not arrive, but broke through to St. They say he's a real man! If the cause of protecting nature, and in particular tigers, is in the hands of people with such a character, we are doomed to success.”

Media representatives tend to call Leonardo DiCaprio an American actor: he was actually born in the USA. However, there are also Russian roots in his pedigree. So, the actor's grandmother Helen Indenbirken had a completely different name before the revolution.

Nazi Germany

Elena Stepanovna Smirnova - this is how the grandmother of Leonardo DiCaprio would have been called if she had remained in her homeland in Russia. However, the Smirnov family left their homeland during the revolution and went to Germany. They began to call their daughter in a German way, so Elena turned into Helen.

When Helen grew up, married a German. Now she has a new surname - Indenbirken, with which it was much calmer to live in Nazi Germany than with the previous one. Fortunately, Helen's parents by some miracle managed to avoid persecution and arrests.

In 1943, the Indenbirkens had a daughter - the future mother of Leonardo DiCaprio. The girl was born in a bomb shelter, where at that time family members were hiding from the bombing.

The girl was given the name Imerlin. Of course, the birth of her daughter was one of the happiest moments in Elena's life. Nevertheless, until the end of her days, she recalled life in Nazi Germany as hard and terrible times.

America and again Germany

When the war ended, the Indenbirkens decided to leave. In the early 1950s, they went to the United States and settled in New York, where they joined the German community.

Life went on. In 1974, the family expanded again. Elena Stepanovna had a grandson, Leonardo. When he was 11 years old, his grandparents returned to Germany. Elena Stepanovna always had an excellent relationship with Leo. The actor regularly came to visit his grandmother, and she, in turn, visited him in America.

Elena Stepanovna Smirnova - this is how the grandmother of Leonardo DiCaprio would have been called if she had remained in her homeland in Russia. However, the Smirnov family left their homeland during the revolution and fled to Germany. They decided to name their daughter in a German way, so she turned into Helen.

When she grew up, she married a German. Now she also has a new surname - Indenbirken, with which it was much calmer to live in Germany at that time than with the previous one. Although even Helen's parents miraculously managed to avoid persecution and arrests.

In 1943, the Indenbirkens had a daughter - the future mother of Leonardo DiCaprio. This joyful event took place in a shelter where family members were hiding from the bombing.

The girl was given the name Imerlin. Of course, the birth of her daughter was one of the happiest pages in Elena's life. Nevertheless, until the end of her days, she recalled life in Nazi Germany as difficult and even terrible times.

November 3, 2019, 20:55

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most famous and talented actors of our time. In his filmography there are melodramas, and serious films, and fantastic action films, and serials. The actor was born and raised in the United States, but has repeatedly stressed that he is proud of his Russian roots.

Leonardo with his grandparents in Karlovy Vary.

Russian blood Leonardo got on the maternal side, namely, from his grandmother. The name of the grandmother of Leonardo DiCaprio is Elena Stepanovna Smirnova. It was under this name that she was born in pre-revolutionary Russia and lived here for the first years of her life. By the way, the exact information about where the Smirnov family came from is unknown. There is evidence that the Russian grandmother of Leonardo DiCaprio was from Perm. In other sources, the city of Odessa or the Kherson region is called. However, Leo himself used to say simply - "from Russia."

After the revolution, Elena's parents immigrated to Germany, where the girl grew up. Here her name was changed to German and began to be called Helen. When Helen grew up, she married the German Wilhelm Indenbirken and took his last name. A girl was born in their family, who was named Irmelin. Leonardo DiCaprio's grandparents spent the entire Second World War in Nazi Germany. Helen herself in an interview said that her daughter Irmelin was born in 1943 in a bomb shelter during an air raid.

Leonardo's parents.

Leo with mom.


With Dad.

“I know that if in Russia you are considered a “real man”, this is a serious compliment. My grandmother was Russian - Smirnova - and for me she is the embodiment of inner strength and integrity. She went through poverty, war and emigration. Grandmother, grandfather and other relatives on their part are real strong Russians with a difficult fate that did not break them. I can’t comment on how “real man” I myself am, but if there is something like that in me, then it’s from them. And the more I meet people in my life, the more I understand that my Russian grandparents were the most “real”. Even in periods of deaf lack of money and despair, they had a core and self-esteem, which I now see in few people, ”he said in one of his interviews.

Leo with his mother and grandmother during a break between the filming of the film "Titanic".

Leonardo DiCaprio's grandmother Helen Indenbirken (born Elena Stepanovna Smirnova) died in 2008 at the age of 93. Leonardo in many interviews notes the contribution of his grandmother, which she made to the formation of his character and upbringing, as well as how truthful, honest and loving a woman she was.