In a rare public appearance, actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted collecting plastic waste from the sea as part of an upcoming documentary. But the internet wasn’t entirely green with approval, with some users pointing out his private jet usage, poking holes in his environmentalist image. Also read: Leonardo DiCaprio, Vittoria Ceretti face backlash for evacuating from LA fires in private jet
Leo’s beach clean-up sparks private jet jibe
Leonardo was recently spotted off the coast of Formentera, Spain, when he joined a group of children to collect plastic waste as part of an upcoming environmental documentary
The Oscar-winning actor dove into the clear waters alongside a group of children to collect plastic waste. The effort is part of a new environmental documentary highlighting Posidonia oceanica, an endangered seagrass species vital to the Mediterranean ecosystem.
Several pictures of his outing in the sea have surfaced on social media. Some images show him diving in the sea, some show him engrossed in conversation with the team of documentary makers, and some show him entering the sea with children.
Leo gets trolled
Leonardo’s plastic waste collection effort on a beach has sparked a debate on social media. Fans applauded his environmental efforts, while social media users slammed him for his carbon footprint from private jet usage, sparking a divisive conversation online.
One comment read, “Are they cleaning up the pollution that his yachts cause?”, with another reading, “Before or after a private jet got him there?”.
Several other comments ranged from “Did he take his mega yacht there”, “Did he fly his jet or get there on his yacht?”, “Bro’s yacht is waiting on the other end”, Did he fly on a private jet there tho?”, “what’s his carbon footprint though?” to “I’m sure they kept his mega yacht out of frame”.
“His carbon footprint is dinosaur sized so this is a bit ironic,” one social media user shared, with another wondering “So he’s getting plastic from the ocean after he flies there with his private jet”.
“No respect for full on in your face blatant hypocrisy,” one exclaimed.
Few supported him. “He’s the real heart of the ocean,” one fan shared, and one wrote “His environmental efforts are elite. These comments are not”. “That’s the most special soul I’ve ever seen,” one shared.
Leo called out for using private jet
Earlier this year, Leonardo faced backlash for evacuating from the LA fires in a private jet with model Vittoria Ceretti. Tribune reports that Leonardo was spotted boarding a private jet to escape the fires in Los Angeles and was clicked landing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The move drew criticism with people questioning his ‘climate warrior’ persona. Following the backlash, Leonardo announced a donation of $1 million to aid the ongoing wildfire relief and recovery efforts in Los Angeles County.