Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio has been passionate about the environment since he was a child. Currently serving on the boards of both of National Resources Defense Council and Global Green USA, he campaigns for changes in environmental policy and educates the public on the issues of global warming.

By launching the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 and later LeonardoDiCaprio.org, DiCaprio has collaborated with other organizations to foster awareness of the environment. The Foundation places particular emphasis on the issues of global warming, alternative and renewable energy sources and the preservation of the planet's biodiversity. DiCaprio has supported non-profit organizations such as the Dian Fossey Foundation, Reef Check, Oceana, Santa Monica's Heal The Bay, the U'wa Defense Project and TreePeople.

In 2000, DiCaprio chaired the national Earth Day celebration. During ABC’s “20/20” special on Earth Day DiCaprio interviewed President Clinton to address the issues surrounding global warming and the environment. Together, they discussed policies and steps that the administration should take to encourage Americans and US oil companies to adopt greener practices.

Believing that education is critical to making changes, DiCaprio teamed up with NRDC again in 2004 to build the e-Activism Zone in Santa Monica aimed at educating young people and inspiring them to make a lifelong commitment to the environment. DiCaprio, along with Norman Lear's campaign "Declare Yourself" and Diddy's “Citizen Change, Vote or Die” campaign, criss-crossed the U.S.A., visiting college campuses and encouraging young people to register to vote.

Combining both his passions, DiCaprio narrated two short environmental films entitled "Global Warning" in 2003 and “Water Planet” in 2005. Most recently, he teamed up with Tree Media to produce and narrate “The 11th Hour” a feature-length documentary about the human impact on our planet, which was an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2007.

In June 2008 DiCaprio executive produced Planet Green Network’s “Greensburg” which chronicled the rebuilding of Greensburg Kansas into an environment-conscious town after being hit by one of the worst tornados in US history.

In early 2008 the DiCaprio Foundation joined the California Community Foundation, and is now known as The Leonardo DiCaprio Fund at CCF. The fund will continue to support environmental causes through grantmaking and active participation.
In 2009 Nickelodeon presented Leonardo with the first-ever "Big Green Help Award" at this year's Kids' Choice Awards for his contributions towards environmental issues and for inspiring kids to do the same.

DiCaprio is a three-time Academy Award nominee for the films “Blood Diamond”, “The Aviator” recipient of a Best Actor Golden Globe, and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”. Most recently he garnered a 2009 Best Actor Golden Globe nomination for his work as Frank Wheeler in “Revolutionary Road”.

Dicaprio received the 2004 Best Actor Golden Globe for Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator”; and has scored additional nominations for “Revolutionary Road”, “The Departed”, “Blood Diamond”, “Catch Me If You Can”, “Titanic”, and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”.

In 1997, DiCaprio starred in the blockbuster “Titanic,” the film shattered every box office record on its way to winning 11 Oscars, including Best Picture. Additionally, DiCaprio’s film work includes ”The Boys life”, “The Basketball Diaries”, “Romio + Juliet”, “Marvin’s Room”, “Gangs of New York”, “Catch Me If You Can”, “The Departed”, and “Body of Lies”.

This month Paramount will release the highly anticipated thriller "Shutter Island" marking DiCaprio's 4th collaboration with Academy Award Winning Director Martin Scorsese.