From the archives of Il Messaggero, Saturday, Sept. 2, the day BEFORE the above article was published in that same paper on Sunday, Sept. 3. It wasn't until the next day that "the mysterious blond" was identified as Gisele. It explains why the subsequent article referred to Gisele as Leo's "mysterious blonde" (Gisele was seen at this week's MTV Music Awards with lightened hair.) Roberta Petronio, Sept. 2 Escape on the stroke of midnight. Escape with a mysterious and blonde girl with whom he dined last night in a restaurant on the Appia Pignatelli. Leonardo DiCaprio has a Roman girlfriend after just a few days in the capital? Last night, the question was asked by many after having seen the star dine at the restaurant "Archaeology" owned by Katia Pittigliani. Sitting at the table with him, both of them protected by the usual escort of bodyguards, was a very beautiful and mysterious girl, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Very thin, she wore a red top and blue jeans. That is the only description of her by those who had the opportunity to see her. Then, out of nowhere, some papparrazi arrive. The actor smells the danger and asks his escorts to leave, and an emergency plan goes into effect. A large, dark Mercedes pulls up to the side exit of the restaurant and the actor goes out alone. Seconds later, another Mercedes, metallic grey, approaches the main entrance. The girl exits the restaurant quickly. In a lightening flash, she is in the car, lying down on the back seat in order not to be recognized and photographed. The auto speeds off and escapes between the crazy flashbulbs of the photographers, carrying the secret female darling of the American actor." The rest of the article just talks about Leo leaving the Hotel De Russie in order to get some peace and privacy and how he was moving into a villa (but as we now know, that was proven to be incorrect, he moved into the Hilton Hotel instead.) Il Messagero: Sept. 7, 2000 - "Now he knows that I exist!" With shining eyes, says Alessandra Venti, 20 years old, a telephone operator in a body shop in Bufalotta and a superfan of Leonardo DiCaprio. Her dream came true at around 5 pm a few days ago. "When he was at the Hotel De Russie", Alessandra tells, "One afternoon he lowered the car window and we gave him our letters. I also included my photo behind which I had written a letter, I saw him read it and now he knows that I exist!" She is part of a group of hard-core fans of DiCaprio. They have workaholic schedules, from 10 in the morning they plant themselves in front of the Hilton Hotel up until 2 a.m., sustained only by the dream of meeting the hero of Titanic. A dream that is sometimes realized. Alessandra and Giovanna and other girls live in the area but every morning the daily ones arrive, from the Castles, from Frosinone, but also from Naples and Ferrara that come only for one day. A blonde girl named Alessia says that her office has given her permission to be off work because she told them she is taking an English course, but in reality she is following Leonardo. And sometimes succeeding. "He runs away if there are paparrazi. He enters from the garage, but when he doesn't see them he will stop. This happened Wednesday the 30th, I will remember it for my whole life, when he returned at 30 minutes past midnight. He looked around, there were no photographers and he came by us and signed autographs, he shook our hands and thanked us. But after he went to the Hilton he escapes us more." They spend whole days in front of the hotel, sometimes never seeing him. "At lunch we go to the barreto (?) because the Hilton costs too much". Those fans have long days. "To pass the time we talk about him, exchange photos, talk to the people in the hotel who deal with him. They tell us, for example, that he is a dedicated hygienist, taking four or five showers a day. And when he takes long trips, as to the Gran Sasso where he filmed an ad, he takes a pillow in the car." Precious information, lifeblood for the ones who pass their days as sentinels in front of the hotels or in front of Cinecitta waiting for the blonde of Titanic. With so many satisfactions and some bitterness: "We know that he is very affectionate with his girlfriend the Brazilian Gisele" Angela Finocchiaro says, a brunette from Montesacro who is never separated from photos of Leo, "When she is there it is more difficult to see him because Gisele is very jealous. We are also. But she should leave again in ten days. When he is able, Leo gets away. Saturday evening he went, incognito, to a play room (video arcade, I think) called the Extraball. "He is very sweet", Alessandra Venti says, the most obstinate fan, "The other afternoon next to Cinecitta he made the driver stop so that he could sign an autograph for a 12 year-old little girl who had waited two days for him. She started crying." Radio Capital News - Sept. 5, 2000: In the "Hilton" a total room for the overweight "Gangster" DiCaprio goes to the gym of MASSIMILIANO LAZZARI. Leonardo DiCaprio is fighting against the kilos. To make the movie Gangs of New York the American actor must lose weight. That's why also last Sunday evening he locked himself for two hours in the gym, to sweat among balance wheels, handlebars, "step" and cyclette. In the hotel Hilton the management has reserved an equipped room only for him, and together with his personal trainer David, he has "pedaled" quite a lot. Unpublished also his look: the hair a little bit long like in the film Titanic (finally without a little cap), put back and fixed with a blue band, for women, naked back, underlining the absolute lack of bronzing and a short beard in growth that is changing his physiognomy. He only wore short black trousers, above to the knees, the same he had worn a few days ago during his short visit to the Colosseum. As a surprise, there was a visitor of the gym, Letitia Spagnolo, that casually found herself within the barrier of the bodyguard. «Ciao I am David» the trainer said to her when she had hardly entered the room, not understanding who he was. And making the exercises DiCaprio has added «Hi, I'm Leonardo ...». A cordial handshake and then the two have returned to the cyclettes, greeting and leaving the girl without breath. And without breath the customers of the restaurant "Il Passetto" have remained yesterday, in the Via Zanardelli, at about 13.00 h, when they have seen the arrival of the hero of Titanic accompanied by the faithful escorts of the Palazzi-boys (?). Tired of the works of the gym, Leonardo Of Caprio has shown once again that he is a gourmet. How much is possible to learn (?), Leo doesn't follow a real diet. He is very attracted by the Italian cuisine, by the wines (more the red like the Babaresco of '78 that he was offered in the restaurant L'Archaeologia on the Appia), and by the Roman menus. He takes something of the wine but also of the prepared meat in varied ways. It is unpredictable: until now he has never dined twice in the same restaurant. But is it sure that this is the right way to get into shape? Does anybody understand the Americans?! The actor has become fat. Il Messaggero, September 5. He's working out in a Roman gym Di Caprio follows a strict diet. He is still too fat (! what a JOKE). He must lose wait, and fast. (my interjection here...he is trying to GAIN weight fast! In his chatroom, Leo himself said..."I am not big enough yet") Because of demands made in the script, Leonardo DiCaprio, who came to Rome with a couple of kilo's too much, has to work out, with his trainer David. For the sentimental hero of 'Titanic', the Hilton Hotel has a gym prepared just for him. Here, every night, the actor spends at least a couple of hours on the 'bicycles'. DiCaprio has grown a light beard, that has changed the look of his face, also, maybe, because of script-demands of the film Gangs of New York that he will make in Cinecitta with Martin Scorcese. No pictures; bodyguards 'black out' a photographer. September 04, 2000 The star was shooting a commercial at 5 in the morning on the Gran Sasso. than a 'bodydouble' took over. Crowds gathered on the roadside, armed with binoculars and camera's. 'It's him, it's him!'. Yesterday afternoon on the Monte Ruzza there were a lot of fans of Leonardo DiCaprio. It was a pity that the star had already been replaced by a double. Not even the shadow could be seen of the hero of Titanic. He had already left for Rome. DiCaprio, the real one, had started his day early. at 5.30 he was already on the set. He was travelling in a Mercedes from 'Villa Dragonetti', a Paganica, where he has spent the night. He was accompanied by his bodyguards, and his fiancee, a model from South America. The actor got out of the car wrapped in a blanket, as if he wanted to hide from curious people. At that time, however, it was still night and there was no sign of any admirers yet. The mysterie of the blanket was soon revealed because DiCaprio whispered 'it's cold', and he got rid of the blanket as soon as the 'ciak' were working. After the first shots had been finished, the hero of the commercial briefly talked to people of production and he also talked to the technicians; he posed with them so they could take photo's and he signed autographs. The staff wasn't very nice to the photographer of the Messaggero, in a very unorthodox way, they took the film out of the camera (not sure about that), although he was still about 10 meters away from the star. A little after 8 the actor left again, for Rome where he is making Gangs of New York with Martin Scorsese. For the rest of the day DiCaprio's double, an Romanian actor, stayed on the Monte Ruzzi. Meanwhile the cars and bicyles of the Sunday tourists were climbing the road. All of them attracted by the set, they all slowed down when they came near the road that led to the ex-military exercise ground. There were a lot of people who didn't know what was going on. They asked if a film was being shot or a commercial, and if it was a commercial, what product it was for. After lunch, the first fans were coming in for an autograph-hunt. But the star and his staff had already gone back to Cinecittà. Leo Films an Italian Commercial September 03, 2000 DiCaprio films an ad on the Gran Sasso. The actor, lodging at the Hotel Cristallo a Fonte Cerreto, is in Montecristo to film an ad for Telecom. Yesterday morning DiCaprio reached the set with the aid of some tractors. In a few days the actor will leave the Abruzzo and will return to Rome, to Cinecitta, where he is making the movie Gangs of New York. At the end of the week, he will be in Venice for the closing of the Festival. Tom & Nicole move into Leo's old suite September 02, 2000 Cruise and the Kidman in him ex "suite" of Leo In the super suite, later Leonardo Of Caprio, Tom Cruise and his/her wife Nicole Kidman arrives. The beautiful one of Titanic has just packed the suitcases to install him in a villone and the couple of superstars more beloved than Hollywood he/she takes possession of the apartment Picasso, sees on the Pincio, three million and besides night. The same that Leo has welcomed. Crowd of vip and star of Hollywood in the hotel de Russia, mythical hotel restructured by Rocco Forte. Tom and Nicole are landed with their airplane personnel and at five o'clock in the afternoon they were in the hall. I/you/they have gone suffered in the suite. Nothing visit in the kitchens, as to someone you/he/she is seemed. Suits of dark color, smiling, I/you/they have come for meeting with some friends. Big crowd of fan and photographers in the street of the Babuino, in front of the hotel, last night. They waited for the exit of the couple that however you/he/she is not made to see for times. Reappears to the twenty and three quarters, welcomed by teams of young people that launched roses. Tom has smiled with all of his teeth, Nicole was splendid. You/they have shown great disponibiltà and I taken the flowers by the hands of the admirers you/they have brought them with them in auto. A disabled girl is made to make the autograph. Others have applauded gentleness and total lack of divismo. To the de Russia Cameron Diaz also lodges. Today they depart. Leo Looks for a Villa September 02, 2000 The American actor wants calm: he will live with us for two (?) months, the time to make a movie. DiCaprio looks for a villa in the Castles Rome (villa ai Castelli Roma)--Leonardo DiCaprio looks for a house. The luxurious hotel in the center of Rome doesn't seem to working out anymore. It would be better to have a calm, relaxing abode in the country for the superstar of Hollywood in Italy to make a movie with Martin Scorsese. It is the villas of the Castles where the beautiful Leo has aimed his eye these days. No more for the Hotel de Russie, a stone's throw from the Piazza del Popolo. The superstar has already left the marvelously complete hotel with all possible comforts. DiCaprio's idea is certainly not new to the beautiful world of cinema. Martin Scorsese, for example, has stayed in a villa on the Appia Antica for one month, where he has already had a visit from Tom Cruise. Gisele In Rome August 31, 2000 The chatmaster of the offical chats, Rodney, said Leo will soon be joined by his girlfriend (he mentioned no name, he said she is very nice, but we may guess it's Gisele) in Rome. And that Leo is very happy. There is an excerpt from the trancript on the Chat Transcripts Page. A Spanish Article: Leo in Rome August 31, 2000 Leonardo DiCaprio films with Scorsese in Rome Rome, Italy, (EFE). - The American actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who is in Rome to carry out the last work of Martin Scorsese, surprise left the hotel in which he lodges to mix itself with the cloud of tourists that Sunday in the evening visited the mythical Coliseo. The protagonist of " Titanic ", that lodges in the Hotel of Russie, an old building recently recovered that is in the centric Seat of the Popolo, has granted a rest to fulfill the tourist ritual and to take a walk by the oldest and typical routes of the Italian capital. The Coliseo, where the famous fights of gladiators took place, the Roman forums and the Amphitheatre of Flavio were some of the monuments who I gave Caprio, adorned with black trousers, dark t-shirt, glasses and the habitual cap with visor, visited in company of its bodyguards and the assistants of production. Actor will remain in City Eternal about three months, that is the approximate time that will take in rolling the scenes of the last film that directs to its compatriot Scorsese, in that will interpret the paper of a gangster of Irish origin pawned on organizing fights between rival bands in the streets of a New York of end of century XIX. The artist, who appeared the enough colored person and something neglected more than customary, lives isolated in the hotel, that only leaves using stratagems to dissuade to its admirers and the photographers who have bet themselves in front of the building. In addition, the hotel of Russie, in which I gave Caprio would have occupied a whole floor by which the producing one pays about 35,000 daily dollars, has four exits to the street which they remarkably make difficult the work of the paparazzi! It is the time of the Diaz August 31, 2000 While Leonardo Of Caprio doesn't know thing anymore to invent for escaping the Roman paparazzos, last night she has also arrived to Rome Cameron Diaz, with a flight of the British, before supper. Direction Hotel de Russia, where also the beautiful Leo has chosen to sojourn in a stupendous suite. The other evening the autos of the escort have perhaps accompanied him to the hotel Park of the Principles for a supper among friends. It is in this by you go of international star to full Center it almost passes unnoticed a true big of the cinema come Daniel Day Lewis (The age of the innocence, The last of the Mohicanis, my left foot, In name of his/her/their father), also him in the hotel de Russia from where it seems that he enter and absolutely goes out unmolested, just as perhaps Leonardo Of Caprio he would dream, instead photographed yesterday on the balcony of his suite while him stiracchiava. Leo, Cameron and Weinstein on Dinner August 31, 2000 On Tuesday evening, Leo, Cameron Diaz, Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein, and Harvey's Italian right-arm Fabrizio Lombardo went out to dinner at the restaurant called "Macaronies" (Maccheroni). They talked about the film but Cameron was overheard saying "I am hungry", which was understandable because she had just arrived shortly before at Fiumicino Airport. They ate mozzarella, spaghetti with zucchini and shrimps, rigatonni with meat sauce, vegetables, sherbet and fruit salad with ice cream. And can you guess who ate the most: Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Fabrizio Lombardo or Harvey Weinstein? You win! The hungriest of the group was the blonde Diaz. At about midnight, they left for their hotel, accompanied by their bodyguards. The paparazzi and reporters have been chasing the two stars of GONY all over Rome. Leo's Diary in Rome August 30, 2000 Of Caprio, a gangster arrival of Savior Tavern Slalom among the violent paparazzos, gone out countercurrent of the zone departures, disgusting grimaces to the sight of so many clics of assault. Eccolo the superstar of Titanic, the idol of the teen - agers, the doll that flop has done in the film The beach. Well taken care of Pizzetto, t - blue shirt, grey pants and fraticello sandals, black glasses to camouflage better him, Leonardo Of Caprio in meat and bones, protected from four watches of the body, it is plunged in a gigantic limousine: a true gangster seems. «And he, is not possible», almost it faints in directed a slender and sweaty biondina. Flash, flash, flash. Five paparazzos, among the most aggressive assaltatoris, they succeed in surrounding the stain before the departure of it toward Rome. Is it Leo it collaborates? Does it smile? Even for dream. Eyes it is covered with a beret by the long visor and as a child is rolled up for hiding from the bad mother: follies from superstar hollywoodiano. Close to him there is the beautiful Giselle? No. No. No. The top Brazilian model, his/her girl, continuous to turn the world with the suitcase: of gangway in gangway. But sooner or later it will appear in the eternal City. New York, London, long stop and then street toward the airport of Fiumicino. Fourteen hours before facing the historical Center in Rome and to fly toward the hotel de Russia. Out, an only fans, there by chance. «How much I like it, it makes me go crazy», it says the pretense redhead in front of the hotel. But in face, Of Caprio, the winds observe only it you photograph that him they catapult on the macchinona and they go off madly through the glasses fumée. Before a pullmino appears with his four collaborators. Then here is the superstar! He passes from the side gate and, once gone down by the automobile, it is penetrated in the labyrinth of the undergrounds: not to make to see from, nobody almost, has to graze the lavandaries where they tower hundreds of sheets in fresh Irish flax. Not only. Passage among the kitchens where one of the most famous chefs of italia reigns, Luigi Sforzellini. The maschiettis, to the sight of Leo they stay surprised. But the girls go to ecstasy. A camerierina, polite, in apron and white gloves, it passes from the bow to the sturbo in three second. Before reaching the suite more elegant Picasso of the hotel, that with sight on the Pincio, three million and duecentomila liras to night, Leonardo, phones Giselle: «I love You. I will work thinking about you». And the night? Leo, salt on the pulmino of the organization camouflaged by watch of the body and it goes to dinner from Macaronies: rigatoni and wish pens, wine of Frascati and triumphal exit with bottle in hand. All crazy ones for her. To the beginning of next week it will arrive in the city Cameron Diaz. So also the maschiettis will have their diva. You, ladroncella that goes crazy for Leo and him, Amsterdam Vallon, a gangster that delinque in the New York of half Eight hundred, will be the protagonists of Gangs of New York, the film directed by Martin Scorsese, distributed by the Miramax independent house driven from the fat and ironic Harvey Weinstein and from his/her/their Brother Bob. «Later thirty years Hollywood returns on the Tevere», it says the great scenografo Dante Ferretti that the nineteenth-century New York has reconstructed in the abdomen of Cinecittà. For eighteen weeks Cameron and Leo, ended the job on the set, they will be plunged in the heart in the old Rome. Good fun! Girls, boys hunting starts. The beautiful Leo? August 26 Unrecognizable E'! Before and after the care. The care of the success, that not to all it makes same effect. The arrival of Leonardo Of Caprio, star superatteso to the ciaks of Cinecittà - Gangs of New York for the regal one of Martin Scorsese - you/he/she has produced among the expected choirs of exultation some due stick to the amazement. Can you/he/she be said? The beautiful Leo has appeared notably heavy and quite a lot of bad humor. As any deadly commune before the vacations or after a stressful day in the office. Normalcy, sinned serious for a superstar. To the arrival to Rome has shunned the fans puffing, escaped the photographers, you/he/she is entrenched behind dark glasses and beret, you/he/she is barricaded in the luxurious suite in center. Who has seen him from near - the famous voices out of the choir - they tell of a profile cicciotto, blonde pizzetto and of a little available ways. Footsteps for the caratteraccio - rather, a prerogative for a lot of stars - but not the physical form. Out weight and scorbutic, no. If Marlon Brando can allow only it in a career by now made only of splendid cameis. Where is the slender one ended, efebico, angelic dreamer of Titanic that had made to fall in love all the Italian ragazzines and not? Done sink with all the transatlantic? Ok Leo, the fans Romans are prepared to give to you a chance. Some concession to the admirers, during the stay in the Capital and he/she will be thought that you are preparing only with extreme scruple your role of intemperate gangster in the slums of the Big Apple.