Movie star Djimon Hounsou has Leonardo Dicaprio to thank for saving his life after the brave Titanic actor stood between his Blood Diamond co-star and a killer intent on shooting the African.

Hounsou remains puzzled as to why the gunman took exception to him while he was filming the new action film in Mozambique, but he's sure he'd be wounded or dead if it wasn't for the heroics of DiCaprio.

He explains, "He stood in the way of somebody who was trying to shoot me."

"We went to eat somewhere and apparently somebody was threatening to kill me there. Leo said, 'Well, you're gonna have to go through me.'"

That was enough to make the gunman think twice and he fled the scene, leading a grateful Hounsou pouring praise on his pal.

Modest DiCaprio has refused to even discuss the matter during promotional interviews for the new film. He will only talk about his great friendship with Hounsou.

He explains, "We became like brothers on this movie... We were together for six months."