As one of Hollywood’s biggest talents, Leonardo DiCaprio remains incredibly busy, jumping from project to project. However, the A-lister is now in the news not because he was on a movie set but because he had to appear in a courtroom. DiCaprio is one of several individuals who’s been summoned in connection with the ongoing trial of Fugees member Pras Michel. The 48-year-old Oscar winner – who hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing himself – was required to testify on behalf of the prosecution. Of course, DiCaprio had to introduce himself at the start of the proceedings and, with that, he was ultimately asked what “he does for a living.”
Leonardo DiCaprio appeared in court on Monday and, according to CNN, he was surrounded by U.S. Marshals when he entered the room. The actor was reportedly sporting a blue suit and, per the news outlet, plenty of people took notice when he arrived. Jurors were reportedly bored while listening to the previous witness but quickly became focused once the Don’t Look Up cast member took to the stand. One juror’s head even shot up from their hands when he was ushered into the room. But aside from the reactions of the jury members, one of the most notable moments apparently occurred when prosecutor Nicole Lockhart asked what DiCaprio does for work. With that, the star gave a simple, four-word response:
I am an actor.
Pras Michel was indicted after being accused of taking part in an unlawful, global campaign-financing scheme and has since pleaded not guilty. Said plan was allegedly funded by Malaysian businessman Jho Low, who purportedly stole billions of dollars from 1MDB, a sovereign wealth fund. Like Michel, Low is also facing charges but has yet to stand trial. CNN surmises that by having the Hollywood actor testify about his relationship with Low, the prosecution is attempting to prove that Low tried to get in good with stars using stolen funds.
Leonardo DiCaprio reportedly spoke slowly while he was on the witness stand and was so quiet that he was asked to speak up. Nevertheless, it’s said that DiCaprio recalled attending a birthday party for Jho Low in Las Vegas, where they were allegedly introduced by the stepson of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak. The star was also asked to identify Pras Michel and would also detail meeting him at a Fungees concert in the ‘90s. In regard to Low, DiCaprio speaking with him again in 2012, during which they discussed the U.S. Presidential Election:
It was a causal conversation about what party he was in support of, I told him what party I was in support of. And he told me that he, or he and a group, were going to make a significant contribution to the Democratic Party. … I said ‘wow, that’s a lot of money.
He also testified that through an LA-based production company, Jho Low funded one of his movies, The Wolf of Wall Street (which is based on the life of Jordan Belfort). He also thanked Low when he accepted a Golden Globe for his performance in 2014. The fan-favorite actor also stated that he’d stopped talking to Low by 2015. Per CNN, the entertainer has reportedly been working in tandem with prosecutors to ensure that any funds his charities received from 1MDB are returned.
Aside from his involvement in this legal situation, Leonardo DiCaprio has been busy work-wise. He recently reunited with Martin Scorsese for his adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon. Though it’s been delayed in the past, the movie is finally set to drop later this year as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. And, just last week, fans received the exciting news that the film will premiere at Cannes in May. On top of this, DiCaprio and Scorsese are working on another Apple TV+ movie, a big-screen version of The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder. We’ll see how these productions play out as well as how the court proceedings continue in the case of Pras Michel.
