Actor-turned-filmmaker Clint Eastwood has given his latest leading man Leonardo DiCaprio the thumbs up to realise his directing dreams, insisting the Titanic star will make a great movie mogul.

DiCaprio has become one of Hollywood's most in-demand stars thanks to a string of box office hits and now he wants to follow Eastwood's example and add director to his resume.

He tells GQ magazine, "I would imagine it's really a game of deciding what to keep your attention on, as opposed to the 20 other things I'm sure people want you to pay attention to... And, if I did direct, I would try to have the same no-bulls**t approach to it as he (Eastwood) and his crew have. Seriously, there are no frills on his set. It's a small, tight-knit crew."

And the multi-talented Dirty Harry star, who teams up with DiCaprio in upcoming film J. Edgar, thinks the actor is well-suited for the job.

Eastwood adds, "He'd be great. A lot of guys falter when they get in that chair. John Wayne - he found it overpowering. But for somebody who's relaxed and understands other actors and likes the process, it's kind of simple."