Leonardo DiCaprio endorses Kamala Harris for president

Leonardo DiCaprio attends the Los Angeles premiere of “Ice on Fire” on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Image: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Leonardo DiCaprio is endorsing Kamala Harris for president, with the Oscar-winning actor expressing support for the Democratic nominee in a video Friday.

“Climate change is killing the earth and ruining our economy, we need a bold step forward to save our economy, our planet and ourselves,” DiCaprio said in the video posted to Instagram. “That’s why I’m voting for Kamala Harris.”

DiCaprio, long an outspoken advocate for addressing the climate crisis, has supported Democratic candidates in the past. In early 2020, he attended a fundraiser for Joe Biden at the home of former Paramount Pictures chief Sherry Lansing.

His Instagram caption cited the recent devastation from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, which he called “unnatural disasters caused by climate change.” In the video, DiCaprio praised Harris’ ambitious targets for achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and helping to build a green economy. He also noted her involvement in passing the Inflation Reduction Act. As vice president, Harris cast the tiebreaking vote on President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law that was approved with only Democratic support.

He also criticized Trump for withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate accord and rolling back “critical environmental protections.” Trump, he said, continues to “deny the facts” and “deny the science.”

With less than two weeks until Election Day, Harris has received the support of many high-profile entertainers including Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Chris Rock, and George Clooney.

The vice president held a rally Thursday night in the Atlanta suburbs with former President Barack Obama and musician Bruce Springsteen. Beyoncé, whose song ‘Freedom’ is a Harris campaign anthem, is expected to be at Harris’ Houston rally Friday, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

Republican nominee Donald Trump’s celebrity supporters include Elon Musk, Dennis Quaid, Roseanne Barr and Kid Rock. In December 2016, DiCaprio and the head of his eponymous foundation met with Trump, then president-elect, to discuss how jobs centered on preserving the environment could boost the economy.