The protagonist of ‘Do not look up’ (Netflix) seeks to save the planet from extinction, something he also wants to achieve through his ecological causes.
An asteroid collision is not the only threat that could affect life on Earth. Although this event is the greatest concern of the profesor Randall Mindy, character played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the hit movie Don’t look Up (No miren arriba, Netflix). The 47-year-old actor knows that, beyond fiction, real actions are needed to protect the environment and its ecosystems from, for example, global warming, and has spent several years dedicating himself to that mission, in parallel with his acting career that gave him the Oscar in 2016 for The reborn.
In 1998, at the age of 24, he created the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation with the aim of protecting the last wild places on Earth and implementing solutions to build a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world.
The actor is also on the board of several environmental protection organizations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Oceans 5 and Pristine Seas. In 2014, he was honored with the Clinton Global Citizen Award for his philanthropic work, and that same year, then-United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon named him a Messenger of Peace with an emphasis on climate change.
For this reason, Leonardo found it difficult to resist the script of Don’t look up, a dark and satirical story of the work he himself tries to carry out in a world that, as it happens in the film, seems to minimize climate change or does not consider it a real alarm.
“Adam McKay is a director I have wanted to act with for a long time. His ability to combine comedy with incredibly relevant themes, especially in this film set against the backdrop of the climate crisis, was a unique opportunity to work with someone who allowed all of us, as actors, to collaborate and improvise, “said the actor. about this tape for which he charged $ 30 million, according to Forbes, and in which it shares a screen with Jennifer Lawrence, who plays the scientist who discovers the threatening celestial body.
“Turning such a difficult topic to discuss, such as climate change, into something laid-back and fun, highlighting the shameful truths we all have, takes us to a guilt-free place where we can finally look at a problem and laugh instead of pointing at ourselves. finger each other, “said the 31-year-old actress.
Galapagos, in the crosshairs
The Galapagos archipelago, in Ecuadorian territory, is one of the areas that receives special attention from the actor. In May of last year, DiCaprio, the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, Island Conservation and the organization Re: wild, announced the investment of $ 40 million to support the restoration of the islands.One of its main actions being the reintroduction of endangered species to their natural habitats. “When I traveled to Galapagos I met with several environmental heroes in Ecuador working day after day to save one of the most iconic places on the planet. I am excited to share the work of that team and support the effort they have been making to protect and restore these iconic islands, together with the Re: wild team, “the actor said at the time.
In November, President Guillermo Lasso’s decision to create a new 60,000-square-kilometer marine reserve in the Galapagos Islands was also recognized by the environmentalist. “Congratulations to the President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, for the creation of a new Marine Protected Area near the Galapagos Islands and the new debt swap to help manage it, announced today at COP26, ″ he wrote on his Twitter account.
Beyond your environmental interest, The Galapagos Islands are one of DiCaprio’s favorite destinations that he has traveled to multiple times. Although many of his visits are conducted confidentially, it became known, for example, that for his most Recent lodging, at the beginning of last year, chose the Pikaia Lodge, located on Cerro Mesa on the island of Santa Cruz.
Food investments
Environmental awareness has become part of DiCaprio’s identity. When he accepted the Oscar for best actor for The reborn, He used his speech to urge a global audience to reject the “politics of greed” and support leaders willing to take action against climate change.
“Climate change is real, it is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we must work collectively and stop procrastinating,” said the actor.
“I am consumed by this work,” DiCaprio told the magazine Rolling Stone last january. “There are not two hours a day that I am not thinking about that. It is this slow combustion. It’s not about ‘aliens invading our planet next week and we have to stand up and fight to defend our country,’ but it’s inevitable, and it’s so scary. “
Beyond donating money to charities and nonprofits seeking to save the Earth, DiCaprio invests part of his fortune (totaling about $ 260 million) in companies that are pioneers in a more sustainable food industry. It has diversified its investments between Beyond Meat (produces meat substitutes), Hippeas (organic and vegan chickpea snacks), Califia Farms (with products such as coconut milk and almond milk) and others. Most recently, in 2021, she joined Perfect Day’s Health and Sustainability Advisory Council, a startup technology company that has created the world’s first animal-free dairy ice cream.
And just like his character in the Netflix movie says, DiCaprio asks to look up, specifically at the sun, since it is the source of energy that the world needs now, now !, and not only in the future. So in 2018, DiCaprio partnered with Kingo, a solar energy company, to literally provide power to the people who need it most. The company installs solar units in remote locations where electricity is scarce or non-existent. This work vastly improves the quality of life for these communities, but does it in a way that will not pollute the planet. It is victories like these that give us hope for the future.
DiCaprio’s work wants to show that the current generation can enjoy modern comforts, such as electricity 24 hours a day or mass-produced food, we just have to find smart solutions that satisfy our desires without ruining the planet. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
