WASHINGTON, D.C.: Oscar-winning actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio delivered a heartfelt tribute to the late Dr. Jane Goodall during her memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral on Wednesday, November 12, celebrating the life and legacy of the legendary primatologist and conservationist.
“Most people knew her as Jane Goodall, the icon, the legend,” DiCaprio began. “But the Jane I was fortunate enough to get to know was gentle, curious, funny, witty, and absolutely unstoppable.”
The actor reflected on Goodall’s remarkable ability to “light up a room with her stories” and to inspire everyone she met to believe they could make a difference. “She could enlighten a room just by being in it,” he said, recalling their many conversations at conferences and private gatherings about biodiversity, politics, and their shared hopes for the planet’s future.
DiCaprio also shared a personal memory from their first photo together. “I looked straight into the camera,” he recounted. “When I looked to my left, Jane was looking directly at me.” When he asked why, Goodall told him it was simply her preferred way to pose.
“For her, it was never about the image itself — it was about that shared connection,” DiCaprio said. “And that small moment said everything to me about who she was: an enlightened Homo sapien.”
The tribute concluded with a standing ovation as DiCaprio honoured Goodall’s enduring spirit, compassion, and tireless dedication to protecting the natural world.
