Leonardo DiCaprio is the 2016 Oscar Winner for Best Actor for his performance in “The Revenant”.
In his acceptance speech, DiCaprio brought attention to global warming. He stated, “Climate change is real. It is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species. We need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating”.
He also criticized politicians: “We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity […] I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take this award for granted,” he said, reaping another ovation.

In September 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon designated the actor as a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on climate change for his commitment for the environment. In January 2016 DiCaprio attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to receive the prestigious Crystal Award, which recognizes the achievements of artists and cultural leaders who are helping to address the world’s humanitarian and environmental challenges.

The full transcript of Leonardo DiCaprio’s acceptance speech:
“[…] And lastly I just want to say this: Making The Revenant was about man’s relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this. For our children’s children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted. Thank you so very much”.