DiCaprio calls ‘Don’t Look Up’ a ‘unique gift’ to climate change fight

LOS ANGELES – Leonardo DiCaprio considers his new movie, “Don’t Look Up”, a gift.

He was not only able to work with Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep as well as Timothee Chalamet, Jonah Hill, and Timothee Chalamet, but also because the film captures both the dangers of climate change and makes people laugh.

DiCaprio is one of Hollywood’s most vocal advocates for the environment.

He said, “We’d been trying to get the message across about the climate crisis and Adam (McKay), really cracked the code with creating the narrative.”

“Don’t look up now” is a satirical take on how politicians and the media treat climate issues. It was released in movie theaters Friday and on Netflix Dec. 24. Two lowly astronomers (played in the movie by DiCaprio & Lawrence) attempt to warn a world about a massive comet that is on track to destroy the Earth within six months.

DiCaprio explained that he’d been trying to make a film on the climate crisis for some time but couldn’t find the right approach.

“You either do some existential journey through a person’s lifetime, or you make it a catastrophe movie where New York freezes over,” DiCaprio said.

Streep portrays an egotistical U.S. president with Hill as Hill’s fawning son, and chief advisor. Blanchett, Tyler Perry and Mark Rylance play breezy TV news anchors. Chalamet is a teen dropout while Mark Rylance plays an eccentric tech billionaire with his own agenda.

Director Adam McKay stated, “The big trick is that while you may perceive the movie to be taking a political stand, we want you laugh.”

He said, “At its root it’s comedy.”

DiCaprio stated that he was drawn by the film because he wanted scientists to be supported.

“I wanted my hat off to people who dedicate their life to this issue, know what they’re talking, and try to give these people a little voice,” he said.

The Oscar-winning actor called himself a “Debbie Downer” on the progress of efforts to address the climate crisis, but he added: “Hopefully films like this … start to create different conversations, and more people talking about it will push the private sector and the powers that be to make massive changes.”

Reporting by Jill Serjeant & Lisa Richwine; Editing By Stephen Coates

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