The staff at Pompeii pulled out all the stops when Leonardo DiCaprio arrived there at midday on Sunday with his mother, girlfriend Bar Refaeli, about eight other friends and his bodyguards.
Wearing jeans, a hooded fleece and carrying a jacket, the actor, who can trace Campanian ancestry, tried to cover his features with the hood, a visor and large sunglasses. Nevertheless, he was recognised by hundreds of tourists and made it clear that he would not stay if any of them approached him for autographs or took photographs.
DiCaprio had been fascinated by the story of Pompeii as a child and he had arranged this, his second visit to the site, well in advance. He was shown the Lupanare [brothel] first, where he asked his guide many intelligent questions about the erotic graffiti he saw there. He was also particularly interested in the Casa Del Menandro, the house with a fresco depicting the Greek dramatist Menander. Finally the party were taken to Pompeii’s highest point, the Casina dell’Aquila, where they took souvenir photos of each other.
The guide was impressed by DiCaprio’s modesty, courtesy and devotion to his family. The site’s deputy commissioner expressed his pleasure at having received such a high-profile visitor and said that the site’s administrators would like to work more closely with arts, theatrical and film companies in the future.
DiCaprio’s party later took a private jet to Rome where the actor is now promoting his latest film, “Shutter Island”, directed by Martin Scorsese.
Have you been to Pompeii?
Do you think celebrities have a right to be left alone on such a visit?
