Revenant co-star criticises DiCaprio’s salmon stance: “We’re not all eating microgreens in Malibu.”
One of Leonardo DiCaprio’s former co-stars has criticised the actor’s recent campaign against open-net salmon farming, calling it “deeply disappointing” and “disconnected from the realities of the working wilderness.”
The actor, who shared an onscreen clinch with DiCaprio in The Revenant (2015), said he felt compelled to speak out after the star reposted an infographic last week describing farmed salmon as “an ecological wound.”
“I respect Leo’s environmental work, I really do,” the actor told SalmonBusiness in an exclusive interview. “But there’s a difference between activism and performance. Some of us don’t have the luxury of quinoa and imported kelp.”
The co-star in question is a full-grown grizzly bear, credited simply as “The Bear” in post-production and widely regarded as one of the most convincing physical actors of his generation.
In The Revenant, he portrayed the apex predator that nearly ends DiCaprio’s character’s life. The role was physically demanding, emotionally complex, and required three months of movement coaching and diet adjustment.
“I had to put on 180 pounds for that role,” he said. “All salmon weight. So yeah, I’ve got skin in the game.”
Since his breakout performance, the bear has largely retreated from the spotlight, choosing instead to focus on environmental education and fishery stewardship in the Pacific Northwest.
“I’m not pro-pollution. I’m pro-reality,” he said. “Farmed salmon — when done right — helps take pressure off wild stocks. Leo should know that. He’s played people who read books.”
The bear said he had hoped for a more nuanced message from DiCaprio, especially given the actor’s reputation for on-set intensity and frequent off-camera sushi consumption.
“Look, I carried that scene. I carried him. I’ve said it before — no bear, no Oscar.”
Asked if he would consider working with DiCaprio again, the bear hesitated.
“Only if there’s script approval. And catering that reflects my values.”
Editor’s note: This article was published on 1 April 2025. No actors, ursine or otherwise, were harmed in its making.
