By: Serach Nissim
Acclaimed actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, expanded his carbon footprint this week with private jet rides between Miami and New York. The outspoken environmental activist jetted from Miami to New York and back, all in one day to co-host a celebrity charity event.
Wednesday’s star studded event, co-hosted by DiCaprio and Sean Penn, was held at Soho Beach House. Tickets were rumored to have cost as much as $25,000 per couple. As reported by the NY Post, DiCaprio, 47, was spending the week in Miami Beach for the Art Basel show. On Tuesday, he was spotted in Miami viewing pricey art, and that evening he was seen again in the area partying with his old-time friend, gallerist Helly Nahmad. On Wednesday, he was in New York, jetted just for several hours, to make it to the event, which benefits Penn’s charity CORE [Community Organized Relief Effort], and its COVID-19 programs in Latin America.
Guests were told that the “Titanic” star was delayed on a flight to New York that day, and he only arrived at the event at 11 P.M. The Post sources said that DiCaprio gallantly applied himself to raise money for the fundraiser, even phoning in bids for the auction from the plane ride. Over $500,000 was raised at the event for CORE. DiCaprio return to Miami by jet, without staying the night. It was not immediately known if he flew with private or commercial jet.
Meanwhile, DiCaprio who attended the COP26 Climate Summit in Scotland in October, has often declared that fighting climate change and carbon emissions is his personal mission in life. “The climate crisis is here. #COP26 must be a turning point to protect people and the planet. Leaders, the world is watching and urging you to rise to this moment. There’s no time to lose. #ActNow,” he had tweeted before the event. In 2006, when he won the Oscar for best actor, he had utilized his acceptance speech to promote awareness for the cause. “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,” he had said.
As per the Post, though DiCaprio is a self-proclaimed “CarbonNeutral citizen,” critics call him a “climate hypocrite” for his extensive use of private jets. Also, in 2014 he reportedly rented the world’s fifth largest yacht, owned by a UAE oil tycoon, to go to Brazil to watch the World Cup.
A rep for DiCaprio declined to comment on his jet round trip.
