Hollywood heartthrob and actor Leonardo DiCaprio finally took home his first Oscar on Sunday, Feb. 28th after five previous Academy Award nominations.
For all the times I've repeatedly fallen in love with him, first as Jack Dawson ("Titanic"), again as King Louis XIV/Philippe ("The Man in the Iron Mask"), undoubtedly as Jay Gatsby ("The Great Gatsby"), and even still as Hugh Glass ("The Revenant"), DiCaprio's recent/first win of Best Actor for his role in "The Revenant" was a personal success of mine, and probably for all the female fans he has accumulated over his career.
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As I watched his thank you speech with tears in my eyes, I questioned how one man could be any more perfect... and then he proved to me he could be more perfect. He wants to save the world.
For all the puzzled looks after DiCaprio's thank you speech, for all the "What was that about" and the "Did he just endorse Bernie Sanders" questions, our dearest Leonardo DiCaprio is an actor and an environmentalist, and has been both for quite a long time.
Although DiCaprio has devoted much of his time to his adventures as an actor, his passion for the environment has prevailed throughout the years. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF), which was partly founded by DiCaprio in 1998 is a nonprofit organization that is “dedicated to the long-term health and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants. Through collaborative partnerships, we support innovative projects that protect vulnerable wildlife from extinction, while restoring balance to threatened ecosystems and communities."
LDF focuses on four major areas: protecting diversity,
oceans conservation, wildlife conservation, and climate change.
In July 2015 the LDF granted $15 million to global conservation efforts. DiCaprio said, “We have a responsibility to innovate a future where the habitability of our planet does not come at the expense of those who inhabit it.”
DiCaprio's role in wildlife conservation ranges from being a board member for the World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and International Fund for Animal Welfare, addressing Mayors and world leaders in Paris, France, as well as speaking at events such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. DiCaprio even went as far to write and narrate a documentary about the environment in 2007.
DiCaprio continues to leave a footprint on Hollywood, while simultaneously diminishing his carbon footprint as an avid environmentalist. His on-screen presence and role as a philanthropist radiate with passion for his work.
He's just trying to change the world, and I'm OK with that.
More information about the foundation can be found at leonardodicaprio.org or followed through Leonardo DiCaprio's personal Instagram account (Leonardodicaprio).
