Leonardo DiCaprio finds fame "empty and pointless".

Despite being one of the world's most famous actors, the 38-year-old actor shuns the celebrity lifestyle and instead prefers to invest his time and reputed $200 million fortune in charity work.

Speaking to the new UK issue of Grazia magazine, he said: "The money I've earned has allowed me to involve myself in projects I'm interested in and, above all else, help people who need it. The latter is, without doubt, the best thing about being wealthy.

"You learn, after you've been in the business for a while, that fame is empty and pointless."

DiCaprio - who plays a self-made millionaire in 'The Great Gatsby' - is keen to keep a low-profile in order to live a normal life away from the show business world and admits it helps him to keep a level head.

He explained: "It's important for me to be in touch with the real world. It helps me as an actor so I live much like I've always been."

"I don't own boats, or a private jet, or anything that I need staff to take care of. I like to have capital that I can do something productive with."