Leonardo DiCaprio calls Greta Thunberg 'a leader of our time'

The Hollywood actor and 16-year-old environmental activist have met and 'made a commitment to support each other'

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio with environmental activist Great Thunberg. Courtesy Instagram/Leonardo Di Caprio

Leonardo DiCaprio has called Greta Thunberg “a leader of our time”.

The Hollywood actor posted two pictures of himself with the 16-year old environmental activist on Instagram last night, saying “it was an honour to spend time with Greta”. The two high-profile eco-warriors have made “a commitment to support each other, in hopes of securing a brighter future for our planet.”

Although he has recently come under fire for his use of private jets, Di Caprio is a long-time environmentalist who used his 2016 Academy Awards acceptance speech to highlight the urgency of the climate crisis, ending with the rallying call: “Let’s not take this planet for granted.” He established an environmental organisation, Earth Alliance, in response to the growing climate crisis and “staggering loss of biodiversity threatening the stability of life on Earth”.

He has lauded the efforts of Thunberg and other young environmentalists around the world, saying it is because of them that he feels optimistic about what the future holds.

"There are few times in human history where voices are amplified at such pivotal moments and in such transformational ways – but @GretaThunberg has become a leader of our time. History will judge us for what we do today to help guarantee that future generations can enjoy the same livable planet that we have so clearly taken for granted. I hope that Greta's message is a wake-up call to world leaders everywhere that the time for inaction is over."