With less than two weeks remaining before the US Presidential election, the political landscape is heating up, and the celebrity endorsements are rolling in. In a powerful statement released on Friday, October 25th, Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris for President, urging voters to consider the urgency of climate change in their decision.
DiCaprio, a vocal advocate for environmental protection and a long-time critic of Donald Trump’s climate policies, used his Instagram platform to highlight Harris’s commitment to tackling the climate crisis. He stated, “Climate change is killing the earth and ruining our economy, we need a bold step forward to save our economy, our planet and ourselves.” He directly criticized Trump’s approach, saying, “He continues to deny the facts. He continues to deny the science.”
DiCaprio highlighted Harris’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through a green economy, praising her “significant climate action” and emphasizing its potential to “save our planet.”
This isn’t the first time the entertainment industry has weighed in on the election. Over the past few months, a slew of Hollywood A-listers have publicly endorsed Kamala Harris, hoping to sway voters with their influence. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Eminem are just a few of the big names who have publicly expressed their support for the Democratic nominee. Some have chosen to do so through music, while others, like Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker, have penned detailed reasons for their endorsement.
Meanwhile, Republican nominee Donald Trump has garnered support from celebrities like Elon Musk, Dennis Quaid, Roseanne Barr, and Kid Rock.
Interestingly, DiCaprio had met with Trump, then president-elect, in December 2016, to discuss the possibility of creating environmentally-focused jobs to boost the economy, according to The Associated Press. However, the two have taken vastly different approaches to the environment, leading to DiCaprio’s vocal support of Harris in this election cycle.
With the election rapidly approaching, celebrity endorsements are likely to continue to shape the political landscape. It remains to be seen how these endorsements will impact voter sentiment and ultimately, the outcome of the election.