The Documentary You Never Knew Leonardo DiCaprio Narrated
Whether he's sinking into icy cold Atlantic waters in "Titanic" or sleeping inside a wild animal carcass for warmth in "The Revenant," Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most well-known — and one of the most talented — actors of the last few decades. DiCaprio, who was advised to change his name early in his career, began acting at just 5 years old (via IMDb), guest-starring on network TV shows like "Roseanne" and "Growing Pains." By 1993, he was garnering critical praise for breakout performances in "This Boy's Life" and "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," according to Britannica.
Agnieszka Holland, who previously directed the actor in 1995's "Total Eclipse," commented on DiCaprio's universal appeal, explaining, "Leo is a mystery — and people like mysteries. He's somehow managed to keep a relatively private life — despite the high-profile dalliances with supermodels" (via BBC News).
Outside of acting — and trying his best to live a normal lifestyle — the Oscar winner has a passion for nature. In a 2015 interview with Wired, DiCaprio explained, "I love being immersed in nature and wild places. I love scuba diving, and I've been up and down the Amazon." Beyond indulging in remote outdoor adventures, DiCaprio is committed to the global climate crisis, investing large amounts of his time and resources into environmental activism. The A-lister told Wired, "we need to stop spewing out so much carbon." As part of his commitment to the crisis, DiCaprio narrated the 2016 National Geographic documentary, "Before the Flood."
Leonardo DiCaprio investigates a changing world in Before the Flood
Leonardo DiCaprio is willing to fly through fire if it means saving the environment. In "Before the Flood," the actor teamed up with director Fisher Stevens, as well as several esteemed climate scientists, to uncover the disastrous effects of climate change and the actions we can take to heal our planet. Along the way, DiCaprio and Stevens flew through palm oil fires in Sumatra and braved physical exhaustion in the South Pole, per Men's Journal. As explained by GQ, not only does the actor narrate the film, but he also plays an active role in conducting on-screen interviews, speaking with everyone from former President Barack Obama to the Pope.
As director Fisher Stevens told GQ, "who is going to bring awareness to the environmental issue more than Leonardo DiCaprio, at this point?" The actor's stardom and public dedication to conservationism enabled widespread access, allowing the team to "bring something new to the table," per Men's Journal.
Throughout the course of filming, the crew traveled across five continents, uncovering "a calculated disinformation campaign orchestrated by powerful special interests" along the way (via Before the Flood). Ultimately, as DiCaprio says, "This documentary shows how interconnected the fate of all humanity is — but also the power we all possess as individuals to build a better future for our planet."
Leonardo DiCaprio was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace
In 2014, shortly before the United Nations Climate Summit, former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon named Leonardo DiCaprio a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on climate change. As the former secretary noted, "Mr. DiCaprio is a credible voice in the environmental movement, and has a considerable platform to amplify its message," per United Nations. DiCaprio spoke at the Summit, emploring a room of high-powered government officials to waste no time in addressing the deadly risks to our environment. As he noted, "I am not a scientist, but I don't need to be. Because the world's scientific community has spoken, and they have given us our prognosis, if we do not act together, we will surely perish," via Medium.
In 1998, just a year after reaching new levels of stardom in "Titanic," DiCaprio founded The Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation, an organization aimed at conservationism. According to the United Nations, the foundation began with a mission of "protecting the Earth's last wild places and implementing solutions to build a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world." Outside of "Before the Flood," the actor has played a key role in several other environmental documentaries including 2007's "The 11th Hour" and 2019's "Ice on Fire." Fans and fellow environmentalists can witness DiCaprio's passion for the movement in one of his most recent films, "Don't Look Up," which addresses the global climate crisis with the help of a comet-sized metaphor.