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TITANIC'S

Leonardo DiCaprio has begun to display the classic Hollywood symptoms of a mega-celebrity ego.

First, there's the news that he will be boycotting the Oscars because of the failure of the Academy Awards to nominate him as Best Actor.

Then there's the film he wants to ban, Don's Plum, which he did for nothing in 1995 with a childhood friend. Finally he's cross that there are two The Man In The Iron Mask movies on release...

DiCaprio, 23, will not be attending the Oscars on March 23 after his mum Irmalin told him he was bigger than all the other stars put together.

Though Titanic has 14 nominations, Leonardo failed to make the list as Best Actor. But his co-star Kate Winslet is up for Best Actress.

Leo was also upset that Kate replaced him as her Oscars escort with new lover, assistant producer Jim Threapleton. And what of the film he wants to ban?

In 1995 Leonardo DiCaprio made a film for nothing with childhood friend R D Robb. It was called Don's Plum, with Leo as a woman-hating drug-dealer.

Now that Titanic has propelled him into the $20m-a-movie league, the last thing he wants is a film reminding audiences of his past "wild child" days.

Robb has extended the short film into feature length movie, and threatens to embarrass the star just as his $40m The Man In The Iron Mask opens.

However, another film with the same name is also on release and threatens to cause confusion. This other The Man In The Iron Mask was made on a threadbare $300,000 - as against the $40m for Leonardo's film - by director William Richert.

Richert denies he's trying to ride on DiCaprio's coat-tails, but adds: "I might end up making $20m by mistake!" as audiences assume his film stars Leo.

Like most actors who suddenly make it big, Leonardo DiCaprio is finding his past catching up with him.

When he played a woman-hating druggie for free in Don's Plum in 1995 "he wanted to play a nutter high on drugs", says an insider on the film. "But now you have a situation where Leo is vulnerable to people's opinions."

As for the cheapo other The Man In The Iron Mask, people have demanded their money back because it doesn't star Leo.

Despite his problems, Leonardo DiCaprio at 23 can take solace that he's starred in a billion-dollar movie. And that he can add a $1m bonus to his $2.5m fee for Titanic - plus 5% of net profit!