John Kerry Dubs Leonardo DiCaprio "Earth's Leading Man" for His Climate Change Efforts

Leo is really out here saving the planet. What the hell are you doing with your life?

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Praising Leonardo DiCaprio's bear negotiation skills in his Oscar-winning turn in The Revenant is a given, but what about Leo's continued efforts of using film as a vehicle for climate change awareness? John Kerry, writing on DiCaprio's influence for the annual TIME 100 round-up, argues that both accomplishments of "Earth's leading man" are simply indicative of the same trait: Leo's a real one.

"Preparation, authenticity and smarts are at the core of who he is as an artist," Kerry writes. "But I admire him even more for putting those formidable tools toward becoming such a galvanizing force to protect our planet." Kerry, himself a staunch advocate for policies aimed at combating climate change, also makes note of the fact that the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has awarded numerous conservation project grants across more than 44 countries since its inception in 1998.

Kerry also reveals that, upon DiCaprio's invitation to join the State Department's global Our Ocean conference, this confirmed friend of the sharks put his money where his mouth was: "[DiCaprio] put up millions of dollars for ocean protection as part of the effort." DiCaprio's passion for protecting our planet is also shared by Mr. Kinda Cool Pope himself, Pope Francis. Back in January, DiCaprio stopped by the Vatican to chat potential Earth-saving duties with the Pope and was clearly greeted with open arms:

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Peep Kerry's full breakdown of all the reasons why DiCaprio is most certainly Earth's leading man here. Then be sure to take a peek at TIME's full 100 Most Influential People list including Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Caitlyn Jenner, Idris Elba, Aziz Ansari, Charlize Theron, and many more.

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