Leonardo DiCaprio, who has won three Golden Globe Awards, said the wildfires are devastating Los Angeles, where a “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warning was in place
Hollywood A-lister Leonardo Di Caprio is pledging a whopping $1,000,000 (£819,000) to aid “urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts” following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
The Oscar-winning actor and renowned environmentalist announced his generous donation in partnership with his organisation Re:wild and its rapid response programme, after the Californian disaster claimed at least 25 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
The actor, who has won three Golden Globe Awards, shared on his Instagram story: “The Los Angeles wildfires are devastating our city” and explained that the funds will support “urgent needs and post fire recovery efforts”. Immediate aid will go to organisations such as the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation and the World Central Kitchen, which have been helping residents across the city.
The donation will also assist “organisations on the frontlines providing much-needed resources to our first responders and firefighters, and the people, animals and communities who need it most”.
Di Caprio, lauded for his performances in The Aviator, The Wolf of Wall Street, Titanic and other films, stated that his environmental conservation organisation is “uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters and emergencies”, having been co-founded with a group of conservation scientists.
The generous contribution from Di Caprio will also benefit the California Community Foundation’s wildlife recovery fund, which recently received a significant pledge from Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria and her foundation.
The actress has generously pledged one million dollars (£819,000) to the cause in partnership with the Latino Community Foundation (LCF), funds that come from the substantial 50-million-dollar (£41 million) Courage and Civility Award she was granted by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos back in March. Longoria dedicated her time volunteering with Global Empowerment Mission and dropped by World Central Kitchen’s Eaton Fire operations on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, it seemed Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl spent his birthday whipping up meals for those displaced by the fires with LA-based charity Feed The Streets. Joining the list of high-profile donors, Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis and her family have committed one million dollars (£819,000) to support wildfire victims, while US icon Beyonce confirmed her BeyGood foundation has contributed a hefty 2.5 million US dollars (£2.05 million) to the relief efforts.
This comes amidst speculation from fans about a possible tour or new album announcement delay. Metallica’s All Within My Hands foundation is also making waves with a 500,000 dollar (£410,000) donation, as they expressed on Instagram that “the disaster upends families and dismantles livelihoods”.
Paris Hilton, Mel Gibson, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, Billy Crystal, Jamie Chung, and Bryan Greenberg are among the stars who have seen their homes ravaged by the flames.
US socialite Hilton has confirmed that she raised a whopping 800,000 dollars (£656,000) in just 72 hours for the displaced families of LA through her charity 11:11 Media Impact. She’s now pushing to hit the one million dollar mark on social media.
In addition, she generously donated 150,000 dollars (£123,000) to GoFundMe’s Wildfire Relief Fund – the largest donation to date, as confirmed by the organisation to the PA news agency. Hilton also took to Instagram to share that she had fostered a three year old chihuahua “whose family unfortunately had to surrender her after their home was destroyed in the wildfires”.
This comes after the reality star and socialite saw her Malibu home “burn to the ground on live TV”. The wildfire destruction has put a halt to many events, with rumours swirling that the Critics Choice Awards may be postponed for a second time – and there’s even talk that the Oscars ceremony could be impacted.
The Oscars nominations have already been delayed for a second time, with a new date of January 23 confirmed. Meanwhile, the screening of a new Netflix series featuring the Duchess of Sussex, where she invites friends and famous guests to a California estate, has also been postponed due to the fires
