Categories Leo News

Leonardo DiCaprio Helps Launch $2 Million Fund to Support Africa’s Virunga National Park

Leonardo DiCaprio has joined a campaign to support Africa’s oldest nature reserve after it came under a deadly attack last month.

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a popular tourist attraction and is known for its endangered mountain gorilla population.

In April, 12 rangers at the park were killed in an ambush by a suspected Rwandan rebel group.

DiCaprio has now contributed to a new fund which aims to support the park.

Earth Alliance, a group co-founded by the actor, has donated part of the initial $2m (£1.65m) funding, although it is not clear exactly how much.

“I had the great honour of meeting and supporting Virunga’s courageous team in their fight against illegal oil drilling in 2013,” DiCaprio said in a statement to BBC News.

The actor was an executive producer on the documentary Virunga, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2014.

“Virunga urgently needs funds to protect the endangered mountain gorilla population, to provide support to the rangers and the families of rangers who have fallen in the line of duty, and to help deliver essential disease prevention efforts,” he said.

“It’s critical that we rally together during this time of incredible crisis.”

Read more: bbc.com

Categories Leo News

Leonardo DiCaprio & Robert De Niro join ‘All In Challenge’ for charity

Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro offer walk-on role in upcoming film.

The opportunity is part of the All In Challenge in which stars auction experiences to raise funds to feed the elderly, children and frontline workers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro on Wednesday offered a chance for a fan to get a walk-on role in their upcoming film, Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, with funds going to charity. The winner will spend a day on the set and go to the premiere, DiCaprio said.

The All In Challenge — started by Fanatics founder Michael Rubin — has stars auction experiences to raise funds to feed the elderly, children and frontline workers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Once a star accepts, they then challenge another star to join the cause.

Donations are dispersed to Meals on Wheels America, No Kid Hungry and America’s Food Fund.

DiCaprio and De Niro challenged Matthew McConaughey, Ellen DeGeneres and Jamie Foxx.

Watch the duo’s video announcement below:

To donate, visit http://allinchallenge.com

© hollywoodreporter.com

Categories Leo News

Zac Efron reveals the advice Leonardo DiCaprio gave him about fame while sharing a homemade breakfast from the Oscar winner

Zac Efron revealed some choice advice Leonardo DiCaprio once gave him while sitting down with Hot Ones host Sean Evans for their latest episode.

The hunky High School Musical star, 32, explained how a chance encounter with Leo at a Lakers game back in 2008 lead to a special one-on-one breakfast with the A-list actor.

While the Oscar-winner was no stranger to the paparazzi, he told Efron he had things way, way worse when they sat down to chat over burnt waffles.

Talking to Evans over a round of super spicy hot sauce and wings, the Baywatch star said they didn’t strike up a conversation immediately.

‘What was really cool about that night, and this kind of sticks in my mind, is like, we weren’t talking at that point,’ he explained.

‘And then I was just gonna wait for him, and sure enough he, like, had his hat down low and when the ball went to the other side he was like, “Hey man do you want to like go get breakfast tomorrow?”‘

‘So he wrote his phone number down and handed it to me while the other team was scoring and nobody saw and I took it.

Not only did Zac get to share breakfast with Leo, but he was actually treated to a homecooked meal from the star himself.

After burning a few waffles, they shared some pancakes and talked about the pressure of fame.

‘I had, like, a billion questions for him at that point,’ Zac said. ‘Definitely dealing with too much paparazzi presence in my life and, like, sitting next to Leo I was just like, “Dude how have you handled this for so long?”‘

The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actor’s answer surprised Efron, as he admitted: ‘Frankly, you’re getting it a little bit different.’

‘He was like, “Yeah there’s never this many cars here,” Zac said, remembering there were at least ’10 cars’ following him at the time.

‘He was like, “That’s insane dude,” the Neighbors star continued.

‘I saw in his eyes a little bit of the feeling that I consistently was having all the time which was just, like, stress and anxiety and he was like, “Don’t worry about it man. You’re good.”‘

Zac said it was a special moment for someone at the start of their career, telling Hot Ones: ‘I really appreciate that he took that time. It made me feel good about it. It helped me a little bit.’

‘That’s the biggest hand you can extend I feel like in Hollywood, is looking out for somebody younger. So rock on Leo. Thank you, buddy.’

Categories Leo News

Leonardo DiCaprio Launches Food Fund to Help People Impacted by COVID-19

Leonardo DiCaprio has co-founded a fund that aims to bring food to those most affected by the coronavirus pandemic: Low-income families, unemployed people, the elderly and children who rely on school lunch programs.

America’s Food Fund, co-founded by DiCaprio and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, has already pledged $12 million to non-profit hunger relief organizations chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.

“In the face of this crisis, organizations like World Central Kitchen and Feeding America have inspired us all with their unwavering commitment to feed the most vulnerable people in need,” DiCaprio said in a statement (via The Associated Press). “I thank them for their tireless work on the frontlines, they deserve all of our support.”

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In the face of this crisis, organizations like World Central Kitchen and Feeding America have inspired us all with their unwavering commitment to feed the most vulnerable people in need. I thank them for their tireless work on the frontlines, they deserve all of our support. Today, along with Laurene Powell Jobs, @Apple and the @fordfoundation, we helped launch America’s Food Fund. The Fund is designed to help our most vulnerable, including children who rely on school lunch programs, low-income families, the elderly, and individuals facing job disruptions. 100% of donations will go to @FeedingAmerica and @WCKitchen. We know that asking for monetary donations is challenging for many people right now, but if you are able, please join me in donating at: GoFundMe.com/AmericasFoodFund (see link in bio). #AmericasFoodFund #Coronavirus #FeedingAmerica #ChefsforAmerica #WorldCentralKitchen

A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on

Powell Jobs added, “With millions losing their jobs and programs like school lunches in jeopardy, making sure people aren’t going hungry is of the utmost urgency.”‘
America’s Food Fund has teamed with GoFundMe for the effort; DiCaprio and Powell Jobs donated $5 million combined, one-third of the fund’s $15 million goal, with Apple contributing an additional $5 million and the Ford Foundation giving $1 million.

“In times of need, a plate of food is both vital nourishment and a message of hope from the community, that we care and we’re here to make sure that tomorrow, things will be better,” Andres said in a statement.

Earlier this year, DiCaprio’s Earth Reliance organization donated $3 million to launch the Australian Wildfire Fund.

Categories Leo News

Leonardo DiCaprio in the “All-in” spot of the electric Fiat 500

The New Fiat 500, FCA’s first fully electric car, has been unveiled in Milan.

The “All-In” video dedicated to the New 500 “La Prima” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, the actor who has for over 20 years been committed to fighting climate change and defending biodiversity. The star and activist has embraced the philosophy of the New 500 and wanted to offer his endorsement for Fiat’s mission inviting everyone to make a major commitment to act on climate change, aiming at sustainability: “We need to go all in,” he says in his speech. Fiat accepted the challenge inspired by change and the desire to give the Earth a better future and offered its most precious jewel by fully electrifying the 500.

Categories Leo News

Leonardo DiCaprio Seen Sweetly Giving a Stranger Directions in New York City

Leonardo DiCaprio appeared to lend a hand to a lost stranger while out on a rainy day in Manhattan (February 25, 2020) .

On Tuesday, the Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood star was seen stepping out with his longtime friend and Entourage star Kevin Connolly.

During the outing, DiCaprio, 45, was photographed stopping to give what appeared to be directions to a stranger in New York City’s West Village.

In the photos, the actor had his phone out as he seemed to give assistance to the individual — who was holding a map — and pointed him in the right direction.