DiCaprio: China can be ‘hero’ on climate
Leonardo DiCaprio praised China’s work to combat climate change on a trip to Beijing on Sunday, and said he believes the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases could be “the hero of the environmental movement.”
The actor and environmentalist, who called for action to combat climate change during his Oscar acceptance speech last month, praised China’s shift toward renewable forms of energy to lower carbon emissions.
“As we all know, the United States and China are the two biggest contributors, and I think that China has made radical movements forward as far as alternative energy and ways to be sustainable,” he said at a news conference.
“I really think that China can be the hero of the environmental movement, they can be the hero of the climate change movement,” he said. “They have an opportunity to change the world and I have all the confidence in the world that that is their intention.”
DiCaprio was in Beijing to promote “The Revenant,” which won him his first Oscar, for best actor, at this year’s ceremony. The movie was released in mainland China on Friday and has already earned 100 million yuan ($15 million) at the Chinese box office, according to an announcement at Sunday’s news conference.
DiCaprio, who has made several trips to China in the past, is one of China’s most popular Hollywood actors, mainly because of his performance in “Titanic,” one of his few films that have been shown in mainland Chinese cinemas. He is affectionately called Xiao Li, or Little Lee, by Chinese.
Robinson’s charity work honored
Smokey Robinson is getting an award – this time for his charitable efforts.
The icon will be honored May 19 by the MusiCares MAP Fund, which provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment regardless of their financial situation.
Singers CeeLo Green, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, El DeBarge and Kem will perform in honor of Robinson at The Novo in Los Angeles.
Robinson will receive the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award, which was given to Pete Townshend at last year’s benefit concert.
The 76-year-old Robinson also will perform at the event, to be hosted by comedian-actor Cedric the Entertainer.
The birthday bunch
Actress Kathleen Widdoes is 77. Folk-pop singer/musician Keith Potger (The Seekers) is 75. Actor Timothy Dalton is 70. Singer Eddie Money is 67. Rock singer-musician Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) is 66. Comedy writer-performer Brad Hall is 58. Actor Gary Oldman is 58. Actor Matthew Broderick is 54. Comedian-talk show host Rosie O’Donnell is 54. Actor Scott Eastwood is 30. Actor Forrest Wheeler is 12.