Los Angeles, Feb 11 : 'Notting Hill' actress Mischa Barton has claimed that she was told to sleep with Leonardo DiCaprio when she was 19 and he was 30.

The actress' quotes from a 2005 interview were shared in a Tweet that has since sparked a debate online with many even criticising Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio for dating women under the age of 25.

Mischa, who is now 37, had said in an interview with Harpers & Queen that during the height of her fame playing Marissa Cooper in the hit teen drama, she was told by her then-publicist Craig Schneider to sleep with the Hollywood star to boost her career.