Gossip columnists, take note: from now on, Leonardo DiCaprio would like to be known as Leonardo DiCaprioTM. Hollywood’s most bankable name has petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce to have his name trademarked. In a February filing with Commerce’s Patent & Trademark Office, the 24-year-old actor sought the trademark in the “entertainment services” classification. On July 22, DiCaprio’s application received a preliminary approval following a review by a government attorney.
It’s not clear from the application what advantage the young star hopes to gain from such a move, and a check of trademark records shows that the current branding craze has not led other well-known actors – like, say, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and Tom Hanks – to seek to add a tm to their valuable names.
DiCaprio also stands out among the members of the so-called Pussy Posse, his rambunctious crew of New York pals. Friends like the rapper Q-Tip, film director Harmony Korine, and actor Tobey Maguire are all currently tm-challenged (though if Q-Tip seeks a trademark, he might run up against the folks at Chesebrough-Pond’s, manufacturers of America’s leading cotton swabs). But as for the alluring and alliterative Pussy Posse handle, well, that trademark is available for the asking.
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