Leonardo DiCaprio donates to Ukraine, but reports of $10m contribution are false

A source close to DiCaprio confirmed the star has donated to four charities, but no amounts have been specified

Leonardo DiCaprio has donated to humanitarian groups International Rescue Committee, the UNHCR, Care International and Save the Children in support of Ukraine. AP
Powered by automated translation

Leonardo DiCaprio has donated to humanitarian organisations supporting Ukraine, though a previously reported amount was inaccurate.

In recent days, reports have circulated online that DiCaprio donated $10 million to an organisation to benefit Ukraine, which those reports said was his grandmother's native country. Neither the donation nor DiCaprio's heritage were accurate, a person close to the actor said on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to speak publicly about the matter.

DiCaprio has, however, donated to the humanitarian groups International Rescue Committee, Care International, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Save the Children in support of Ukraine, the person close to DiCaprio said. No dollar amounts were provided.

In 2010, DiCaprio, an outspoken environmental advocate and messenger for peace for the UNHCR, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a St Petersburg conference on the endangered Siberian tiger.

Other celebrities also showing support to Ukraine

On Sunday, model Gigi Hadid joined a growing number of stars in pledging financial assistance to people displaced by the attack.

"I am pledging to donate my earnings from the fall 2022 shows to aid those suffering from the war in Ukraine, as well as continuing to support those experiencing the same in Palestine. Our eyes and hearts must be open to all human injustice. May we all see each other as brothers and sisters, beyond politics, beyond race, beyond religion. At the the end of the day, innocent lives pay for war — not leaders," Hadid posted on Instagram, saying she was inspired by fellow model Mica Arganaraz.

Star couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively were among the first celebrities to help raise support for displaced Ukrainians.

Last month, the pair announced they were matching all donations to the UNHCR, benefitting Ukrainians who were fleeing their homes for safety.

"When you donate, we’ll match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support," Reynolds and Lively shared on their social media accounts, along with a link to the UNHCR's donation page.

— Additional reporting by the Associated Press

Updated: March 10, 2022, 9:00 AM