Leonardo DiCaprio presented a humanitarian award in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The actor, 49, attended the 2024 Hilton Humanitarian Awards, where he presented the top prize to Amazon Frontlines.
In a speech at the event, he praised indigenous community leader Nemonte Nenquimo as a “fierce defender of human rights” before presenting her with the award, while giving a sweet shout-out to his mother Irmelin, who was in the audience.
Leonardo described being at the event as his “greatest honor” as he drew attention to the importance of protecting the Amazon rainforest after being criticized in recent years for exhibiting ecohypocrisy with his lavish lifestyle.
Leonardo DiCaprio, 49, attended the 2024 Hilton Humanitarian Awards, where he presented the top prize to Amazon Frontlines.
In a speech at the event, she praised indigenous community leader Nemonte Nenquimo as a “fierce defender of human rights” (pictured: Peter Laugharn, president and CEO of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Linda Hilton , Mitch Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Amazon Frontlines, Nemonte Nenquimo, co-founder of Amazon Frontlines)
The Hollywood actor is known for his humanitarian and environmental work and is said to have channeled £75 million ($97 million) of his fortune into a global conservation project (pictured at the UN in 2016).
He said the rainforest was “a forest on which our entire survival depends.”
During the speech, the actor described the climate activist’s projects and revealed that he had been part of the foundation after setting up his own foundation with his mother.
Leonardo also gave a special mention to his mother, who was in the audience, smiling and chuckling as the audience applauded her appearance.
And Leo has been a big supporter of the group’s cause, taking to Facebook last month to share a post supporting the Indigenous community group in its latest project.
He wrote: ‘My friends Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson have created something extraordinary: a written story of indigenous life and struggle that embraces the deep tradition of oral storytelling from which it emerges.
‘We will be jaguars is a beautiful memory of the Amazon jungle, resistance and love.
‘I have followed and supported their work from their beginnings building drinking water systems in indigenous communities affected by oil pollution, to the founding of Amazon Frontlines and Alianza Ceibo Amazonia, to their monumental legal victories that now protect millions of acres of indigenous territory of devastation. Your new book is both a gift and a call to action.’
The actor is known for his humanitarian and environmental work and founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, when he was 24, with the mission of attracting attention and funding for the protection of biodiversity, the conservation of oceans and forests, and the climate change.
The actor is also on the board of directors of several environmental protection organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Pristine Seas and Oceans 5.
He is also said to have channeled £75 million ($97 million) of his gigantic wealth into a global conservation project to protect endangered species and land from developers.
Leo has been honored with the Clinton Global Citizen Award for his philanthropic work and is a United Nations Messenger of Peace for climate change.
But he has come under fire in recent years, accused of exhibiting ecological hypocrisy with his lavish lifestyle.
In addition to his numerous homes and his propensity for hosting parties on luxury yachts, he has been especially criticized for his use of gas-guzzling private jets for long trips in short bursts of time.
During the speech, the actor described the climate activist’s projects and revealed that he had been part of the foundation after setting up his own foundation with his mother (pictured).
Leo has been a big supporter of the group’s cause and took to Facebook last month to share a post supporting the Indigenous community group in their latest project.
But the star has come under fire in recent years, being accused of exhibiting ecological hypocrisy with her lavish lifestyle (pictured from May last year).
Ridiculed for an 8,000-mile private jet trip in 2016 to accept an environmental award, the star traveled commercially to the 2021 COP26 summit (pictured with Sonia Guajajara)
In 2016, Leo was ridiculed for an 8,000-mile trip by private jet from Europe to New York City to accept an award for his environmental activism.
Carbon emissions from private jets vary, but according to some sources they are more than 37 times higher than those from commercial flights.
After causing a wave of controversy with the trip, the Titanic star looked set to make amends in 2021, traveling commercially to Glasgow for the COP26 eco-summit.
But last year he seemed to have returned to his old ways and was once again accused of double standards.
In March, Leo attended the Green Carpet Fashion Award alongside leaders of sustainable fashion and activism in Los Angeles.
But his appearance came after racking up more than 12,000 air miles in two weeks while enjoying nights out with numerous models and flying between the United States and cities including London, Milan and Paris.
