Leonardo DiCaprio’s emotional tribute to Jane Goodall as he honors his ‘dear friend’ at her funeral
Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio gave an emotional speech about environmental activist Jane Goodall at her funeral on Wednesday.
DiCaprio called the environmentalist his dear friend and said she was an extraordinary woman and pioneer.
The primatologist and the world’s leading expert on chimpanzee behavior died in October at the age of 91.
Environmentalist DiCaprio paid tribute to the scientist, who is also the UN Messenger of Peace, as well as the actor, at the ceremony held at the Washington National Cathedral.
The Oscar-winning actress, who celebrated her 51st birthday on Tuesday, said: “It is a privilege to stand here today, honoring such a great person. An extraordinary woman who changed not only the world, but so many of us in it, my good friend Jane Goodall.”
She added: “When most of us think about environmental issues, we tend to dwell on destruction and loss, and I must admit this is something I have always struggled with myself, but Jane has always led with hope.
“He never despaired, he focused on what could be done.
“It reminded us that change begins with compassion and that our humanity is our greatest tool.
“Yes, he could be outspoken, even outspoken, about the greed and relentless consumption of our species, but beneath that fierce honesty was an unwavering belief that every voice matters, that we are all connected to the living world, and that each of us can make a difference.
“Most people knew her as Jane Goodall, the icon, the legend. But the Jane I knew was kind, curious, funny, witty and absolutely unstoppable.
“He could light up a room with his stories and somehow inspire everyone he met to believe that they could do better as individuals.
“Our paths crossed in many different places, at conferences, panels, and at our friends’ homes.
“And every time we found ourselves stuck in a corner, talking late into the night about politics, biodiversity and our shared hope that the next generation could do better than us.
“I was lucky enough to travel with him and see how he navigated the world, always curious, always patient, and always connecting with people.”
He added: “He was a scientist, a storyteller, a pioneer, but above all he was a teacher and his legacy lives on in the millions he inspired, particularly through (the charity) Roots And Shoots, empowering young people everywhere to take action for the planet.
“His groundbreaking work in Tanzania forever changed the way we understand chimpanzees, and in many ways, ourselves. But his love and advocacy reached far beyond that forest and ignited an entire generation of conservationists, including me.”
Goodall, whose research on chimpanzees is the longest field study ever conducted on any group of animals in the wild, began her work in Tanzania in 1960, at a time when it was unheard of for a woman to venture into the African wilderness.
In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which works to protect species and supports youth projects that aim to benefit animals and the environment.
“I will forever love every conversation I had with him, every adventure, every laugh we shared, every whiskey we shared, and every moment I spent time talking with my dear friend,” DiCaprio said.
“Let us all honor him with the same strong belief that we can do better, that we must do better, and that we have a responsibility to protect the beautiful natural world we share.
“Jane often said, ‘Every day we live, we can make an impact on the planet.’ May our impact be an impact of hope for her, for all living things, and for future generations.”
DiCaprio was photographed sitting next to former US speaker Nancy Pelosi and Jose Andres, founder of the charity World Central Kitchen.
The funeral service also included readings from Goodall’s grandchildren and a “dog salute” from PAL Therapy dog grooming teams.
