LEONARDO DICAPRIO - DICAPRIO SYMPATHISES WITH RECLUSIVE HUGHES

LEONARDO DiCAPRIO easily related to aviation pioneer HOWARD HUGHES' reclusive tendencies - because he too feels uncomfortable living in a world where everyone knows him.

The TITANIC hunk - who plays Hughes in MARTIN SCORSESE's latest movie THE AVIATOR - is delighted he's been blessed with big screen success and accepts his fame affords him a lucrative existence.

So instead of taking the simple option and hiding away from star-struck fans, he's learned to embrace the attention as part of his career.

He says, "I feel like hiding all the time. But I never do because I don't let myself be a victim of this ridiculous thing that is 'being recognised'.

"There are a lot of worse things in the world that people have to deal with. It's not like being famous is a civil human-rights issue that people should be concerned with. Who cares about us? We're lucky b**tards."