Leonardo DiCaprio is one of a number of prominent Hollywood figures celebrating the shock result of the Brazilan presidential election.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the left-wing former leader of the country, won the election over hard-right incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro.
As the news broke late on Sunday (31 October), DiCaprio tweeted: “The outcome of the Brazilian election presents an opportunity to change the course of history, not just for Brazil and the Amazon, but for the world.”
DiCaprio, an environmentalist, was dragged in to a row with Bolsanrao in 2019 after the then-president made an entirely unsubstantiated allegation that the actor “paid” for fires in the Amazon rainforest.
Other actors and celebrities joined DiCaprio in celebrating the news of Lula’s victory.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill tweeted: “Congratulations to the newly elected President of Brazil: Lula da Silva!!! #ByeByeBolsonaro.”
Hamill wasn’t the only sci-fi stalwart offering his opinion. Star Trek’s George Takei also acknowledged the result on Twitter, writing: “They defeated extremism and fascism in Brazil. Let’s do it in America.”
In the build-up to the election, a number of other celebrities voiced their support for Lula.
“The election in Brazil may determine if the Amazon rain forest remains the ‘lungs of the world’ or is clearcut for short-term profit,” wrote Barbara Streisand. “Our warming planet needs the Amazon not being destroyed.”
Avengers star Mark Ruffalo released a video endorsing Lula in the build-up to the election. In the clip, he said: “What happens to the rainforest and Indigenous people that are there will impact the rest of the world for millennia to come.
“Right now, the leader that’s best positioned to protect the rainforest is Lula.”
Dune’s Jason Momoa had also thrown his support behind the leftist candidate, sharing a news headline on Instagram indicating Lula’s lead over Bolsonaro, along with a number of love hearts.
Follow the latest updates from the aftermath of the election here.
