Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio, award-winning actor, producer and activist, is well known for his dedication to protecting the environment on a global scale. In 1998, DiCaprio launched the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) to provide direct support for conservation and preservation projects on nearly every continent and in every ocean. Using his public platform, he has spearheaded global awareness campaigns and advocated on behalf of the natural world before global leaders at all levels. DiCaprio has also made strategic investments and produced numerous creative projects and documentaries to increase public engagement in the cause to end climate change.

Born in Hollywood, California, DiCaprio started acting at the age of 14. His breakthrough feature film role came in 1993 with Michael Caton-Jones’ “This Boy’s Life.” That same year, he earned his first Academy Award® and Golden Globe nominations for his leading role in Lasse Hallström’s “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” Now a five-time Academy Award® nominee and Golden Globe winner, DiCaprio has produced and starred in many award-winning films – including Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street”, Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained," Clint Eastwood’s “J. Edgar” and Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” to name a few. He most recently starred in “The Revenant” (2015) directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. His portrayal of legendary explorer Hugh Glass won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama); Screen Actors Guild Award® for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role; Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Actor; and an Academy Award® for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

With his production company, Appian Way, DiCaprio wrote, produced and narrated the acclaimed environmentally themed documentary “The 11th Hour.” Appian Way also partnered with Netflix to release “Virunga,” the Oscar® nominated documentary that examines gorilla preservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park. Two additional environmentally themed Netflix documentaries titled “Catching the Sun” and “How to Change the World” are currently in post-production and slated for release in 2016.

In September 2014, DiCaprio was designated as a United Nations Messenger of Peace with a specific focus on climate change. That same month, DiCaprio was honored with the Clinton Global Citizen Award, participated in history’s largest climate march in New York City and powerfully addressed the UN Summit. In January 2016, DiCaprio was awarded a Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum in Davos for his work to bring global attention to the urgent need to address climate change. Leonardo also serves on the boards of World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Geographic’s Pristine Seas, the funders’ collaborative Oceans 5, and International Fund for Animal Welfare.