Leonardo DiCaprio spoke out about climate change as he took home his first Academy Award.
Leonardo DiCaprio
The 41-year-old actor was honoured with the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role gong - after a number of previously unsuccessful attempts - for his work on 'The Revenant' and spoke about the importance of "working collectively together" to stop the "most urgent threat facing our entire species".
He said: "I just want to say this. Making 'The Revenant' was about man's relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow.
"Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this.
"For our children's children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted."
The 'Titanic' star also thanked his co-star Tom Hardy as well as his parents and friends.
Taking to the stage, he gushed: "Thank you all so very much. Thank you to the Academy, thank you to all of you in this room. I have to congratulate the other incredible nominees this year.
"'The Revenant' was the product of the tireless efforts of an unbelievable cast and crew. First off, to my brother in this endeavour, Mr. Tom Hardy. Tom, your talent on screen can only be surpassed by your friendship off screen ... thank you for creating a transcendent cinematic experience ...
"I have to thank everyone from the very onset of my career ... To my parents, none of this would be possible without you. And to my friends, I love you dearly, you know who you are."
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