In 2022, Taylor Swift came under fire from many when it was revealed her choice of traveling via a private jet wasn’t the healthiest choice for the environment. Swift, who has been traveling the world on her “Eras Tour,” has quite the platform and many criticized her promoting such behavior.
However, Swift wasn’t the only celebrity who received backlash for their choice of air travel.
Leonardo DiCaprio has been an outspoken environmental activist since the late 90s. DiCaprio’s views on climate change are well known, and he was honored with an award for his dedication to the cause in 2016. However, it was during his trip to accept said award that the actor was criticized for using not one, but two private jets.
People were calling DiCaprio a hypocrite, because his actions didn’t seem to match his words.
Leonardo DiCaprio is known as one of the biggest advocates of climate change in Hollywood. He is always raising his voice when it comes to saving the environment.
However, that doesn’t mean his own actions have always been in line with these philosophies. In 2016, DiCaprio was criticized for using 8,000 miles on a private jet to accept an award related to his environmental activism. Many people pointed to the actor and called him a hypocrite.
According to Page Six, DiCaprio took a private jet from Cannes to accept the award and then flew back to France on another jet for a fund-raiser the next night. DiCaprio was honored by a clean-water advocacy group, Riverkeeper, and gave a speech at amfAR’s glitzy Cinema Against AIDS gala 24 hours later.
A rep for DiCaprio stated, “He was asked to speak at both Riverkeeper and amfAR events, but the only way to attend the two fundraisers was to hitch a ride with flights that were already planned.”
The rep added, “Leo helped both events raise millions, donated his own funds, auctioned off his house and had speaking roles in both programs.”
Robert Rapier, an environmental analyst, slammed DiCaprio and said his lavish lifestyle “diminishes his moral authority to lecture others on reducing their own carbon emissions.”
Rapier added, “[He] demonstrates exactly why our consumption of fossil fuels continues to grow. It’s because everyone loves the combination of cost and convenience they offer. Alternatives usually require sacrifice of one form or another. Everybody says, ‘I’ve got a good reason for consuming what I consume’ . . . It’s the exact same rationalization for billions of people.”
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During a climate change speech in 2019, DiCaprio insisted, “As an actor, I pretend for a living. I play fictitious characters, often solving fictitious problems.”
He added, “I believe humankind has looked at climate change in that same way: as if it were a fiction, happening to someone else’s planet, as if pretending that climate change wasn’t real would somehow make it go away.”
Taylor Swift has hit songs and millions of fans, so that obviously comes with a large amount of wealth. That perk is what’s caused Swift’s carbon footprint to spark backlash.
Yard, a sustainability marketing firm, released a report that said 8,293.54 metric tons of carbon were emitted by her private jet in the last seven months. According to the study, that is “1,184.8 times more than the average person’s total annual emissions.”
The information in Yard’s report came from the @celebjets Twitter account. In the report, it says that 170 trips were taken on Swift’s plane and it has spent over 22,923 minutes in air since the start of 2022. That would be the equivalent of 16 days. 80 minutes was revealed to be the average flight time and the aircraft traveled around 139.36 miles. The shortest flight lasted 36 minutes and it went from Missouri to Nashville, Tennessee.
Swift’s team, however, was quick to defend the singer. “Taylor’s jet is loaned out regularly to other individuals,” her representative told E! News. “To attribute most or all of these trips to her is blatantly incorrect.”
The report soon trended on Twitter and sparked several memes prior to the response from Team Swift.
Many users were posting videos of planes flying through the air. One caption read, “video of taylor swift going to get a glass of water.” Another user wrote, “taylor swift going to her living room from her bedroom.”
A particularly unique post came from a user who shared a clip from Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” music video, in which a plane flies very close to Gaga’s head. The user called it Swift’s “cameo” in the video.
Not all of her fans were joking around, however. Several Swifties left comments on Reddit, criticizing the “Blank Space” singer.
“This is very shocking to me, honestly. More and more celebs are emphasizing the importance of reducing emissions, but it’s these outrageous overconsumptions that need to be curbed,” wrote one fan. “I love Taylor, but I’d never take a statement from her about the climate seriously after seeing this. I really think she has the means to do better.”
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“I love Taylor. I also have a strong negative opinion of celebrity private jet culture and think rich people in general have learned to prioritize their comfort and freedom over the rest of us having a safe climate, and I think this is morally wrong of her,” added another.
Swift may reduce the number of times her private jet is used and she may not. What is clear, however, is that this is a common problem among celebrities and Swift isn’t the only one who is guilty.
In 1998, DiCaprio started a nonprofit called the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation when he was just 24 years old. The purpose of the organization was to fight climate change and encourage more conversation about the environment. This was done at a time before environmental issues became as widespread as they are today.
DiCaprio opened up about his passion for the environment in a 2015 Wired interview. During the chat, DiCaprio shared that he first became interested in the issue after watching Imax documentaries growing up.
He decided to insert himself into environmental causes after the release of Titanic, which changed the course of his career. DiCaprio revealed that it was a conversation he had with Al Gore which encouraged him to get involved.
“I was lucky and got to have a meeting with Al Gore in the White House. He pulled out a chalkboard and drew planet Earth and drew our atmosphere around it. And he says, ‘If you want to get involved in environmental issues, this is something not a lot of people are talking about… ‘ — remember, this was 17, 18 years ago — ‘ …but climate change is the single greatest threat to humanity that we’ve ever had,'” DiCaprio said.
He continued, “That put me on this path. We did Earth Day in 1999. I started a foundation. I started speaking out about the issue. And then, of course, Gore’s film came out [An Inconvenient Truth], and I think that affected everyone in a profound way.”
When promoting the film Don’t Look Up in 2022, DiCaprio told Deadline that “there is a ticking clock” in regard to climate change.
“I think there’s a worldwide sense of anxiety about the fact that the powers that be, the private sector, governments, are not making the transition fast enough,” DiCaprio said. “We literally have a nine-year window.”
DiCaprio stated that his role in Don’t Look Up was important to him, because it would start a conversation about the issue among viewers. He then elaborated on the time frame he just presented.
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“When we reach a threshold where the thawing of the ice and the tundra and Greenland and the arctic starts to release even more carbon … we’re already seeing it happen,” DiCaprio explained when describing what would happen after that nine-year period. “That’s why this movie is so important. It is really the question of what the media prioritizes.”
Leonardo DiCaprio is a household name in Hollywood. From his early days as a heartthrob to his massive success as an actor and producer, DiCaprio has consistently delivered captivating performances that have garnered critical acclaim and captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.
His versatility as an actor is evident in the wide range of characters he has portrayed throughout his career, showcasing his ability to effortlessly transition from intense dramas to light hearted comedies. DiCaprio’s dedication to his craft is unparalleled, as he consistently immerses himself in the roles he takes on, often undergoing physical transformations and extensive research to bring his characters to life in the most authentic way possible.
Early Life and Education
Leonardo DiCaprio was born to George DiCaprio, an underground comic book artist, and Irmelin Indenbirken, a former legal secretary on November 11, 1974, in Los Angeles, California.
However, Leonardo’s parents divorced when he was a toddler, and he was primarily raised by his mother. Growing up in a rough neighborhood in Hollywood, California, Leonardo was exposed to the entertainment industry at a young age. His interest in acting was sparked early on, and he started appearing in commercials and educational films as a child.
At age five, DiCaprio was enrolled in the Seeds Elementary School, a Los Angeles-based school for intellectually gifted students. However, he struggled with academics due to his dyslexia, which remained undiagnosed until later in his life. Despite his academic challenges, he continued to pursue his passion for acting, attending auditions and taking acting classes.
Career
Leonardo DiCaprio’s breakthrough role was alongside Robert DiNiro in This Boy’s Life in 1991, at the age of 17. His performance was as a troubled teenager who struggles to navigate his tumultuous relationship with his abusive stepfather. DiCaprio’s raw talent and ability to embody complex emotions captivated audiences and critics alike. This role marked the beginning of his impressive career, setting the stage for the countless memorable performances and huge hits that would bring in over $100 million to come.
Following his success in This Boy’s Life, DiCaprio starred in several television shows and films, including the family comedy Critters 3 (1991) and the drama What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993).
His part in the latter movie was incredible. Portraying a developmentally disabled character named Arnie, DiCaprio’s performance was both nuanced and authentic. He captured the essence of Arnie’s childlike innocence and vulnerability, immersing himself completely into the role. DiCaprio’s dedication to his craft was evident in every scene, as he flawlessly depicted the physical and emotional challenges that Arnie faced on a daily basis. From his mannerisms to his speech patterns, DiCaprio’s attention to detail was remarkable, creating a character that felt genuinely lived-in and three-dimensional.
During the mid-1990s, Leonardo DiCaprio’s career took an exciting turn as he ventured into more mainstream films, captivating a larger audience. One of his best roles came in the form of a teen heartthrob when he shared the screen with Claire Danes in Baz Luhrmann’s remarkable adaptation, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996). This modern retelling of the timeless love story allowed DiCaprio to showcase his undeniable talent and charm.
In 1997, Leonardo DiCaprio reached the pinnacle of international fame with his role as Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s epic romance Titanic. The film’s unprecedented success made him a global heartthrob, and he quickly became one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Despite the massive fame, DiCaprio remained committed to honing his craft and taking on challenging roles.
Throughout his career, Leonardo DiCaprio has exhibited his versatility by taking on a wide range of roles. He has starred in historical dramas like Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), and The Revenant (2015), for which he finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor. DiCaprio’s ability to fully immerse himself in the character for that particular movie was method acting at its finest. The vegan actor actually got very sick from eating bison liver while on set. He didn’t have to, he wanted to so he could further become one with his character.
DiCaprio has maintained a fruitful collaboration with acclaimed director Martin Scorsese. He starred in several Scorsese films, including Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Their partnership has resulted in numerous award nominations and further cemented DiCaprio’s reputation as an actor capable of tackling complex and morally ambiguous characters.
DiCaprio’s career took a thrilling turn in Inception (2010), where he played a corporate spy who delved into people’s dreams. He showed his versatility by portraying the infamous FBI director J. Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar (2011).
DiCaprio continued to impress audiences with his captivating performance as a cruel plantation owner in Django Unchained (2012). He then embraced the grandeur of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in Luhrmann’s dazzling 2013 adaptation.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, was a hit at the Cannes film festival in 2019 and earned him his sixth Oscar nomination.
Following that success, he went on to star in the dramedy Don’t Look Up alongside Jennifer Lawrence, where they played astronomers trying to save the world from a devastating comet strike.
Business Ventures
In terms of print advertisements, DiCaprio has actively endorsed various brands internationally. Notably, he has made appearances in commercials for Jim Beam in Japan, showcasing his support for the brand.
Additionally, he was featured in a commercial for a Japanese credit card company and reportedly received a hefty payment of $5 million.
Moreover, in 2017, he took on the role of brand ambassador for BYD, a Chinese electric car company. Furthermore, he demonstrated his investment acumen by becoming an early investor in Beyond Meat, a vegan fake meat company.
Beyond Meat went public in May 2019 with a staggering valuation of $4 billion. However, it is unfortunate to mention that by mid-2020, Beyond Meat’s valuation had dropped to $1.5 billion due to increased competition in the plant-based food industry.
Despite this setback, the actor’s diverse portfolio and successful ventures showcase his business acumen and ability to capitalize on emerging trends.
Personal Life
Leonardo DiCaprio was involved with Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen back in 1999, sparking a romance that would last until 2005.
Following their split, DiCaprio found love with Israeli model Bar Refaeli, sharing six years together from 2005 to 2011.
The actor then found himself in the company of German fashion model Toni Garnn, dating on and off between 2013 and 2014 and again in 2017.
From 2017 to 2022, DiCaprio’s heart was captured by American model and actress Camila Morrone, and most recently he had been linked to the fabulous Gigi Hadid.
Net Worth
Leonardo DiCaprio has a massive net worth of $300 million. This is in thanks to his very profitable acting career. Garnering upwards of $20, $30, and even $60 million for his roles in different films.
Activism
Beyond his acting career, Leonardo DiCaprio has been deeply involved in environmental advocacy and conservation efforts. In 1998, he established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on environmental causes, wildlife preservation, and climate change initiatives. He has used his fame and platform to raise awareness about pressing environmental issues, speaking at various international summits and conferences.
In addition to his environmental activism, DiCaprio has been actively involved in various philanthropic and humanitarian endeavors. He has supported organizations working on poverty alleviation, disaster relief, and access to education and healthcare for marginalized communities. He has also been vocal about issues like LGBTQ+ rights and gun control.
Controversy
The biggest controversy Leonardo has found himself in is the fact that he will not date a woman over 25 years old. He is 48, so it goes without saying why this would upset people. What is wrong with a woman closer to his own age? What does that say about older women? A lot of questions surrounding this one.
