MNN - Mother Nature Network

When it comes to raising cash for initiatives and organizations he believes in, Leonardo DiCaprio isn't afraid to stand up and guilt people into action. 

 

While at the Cannes Film Festival last week, the 36-year-old attended the Cinema For Peace inaugural Cannes dinner honoring Sean Penn and benefiting his J/P Haitian Relief Organization. Other celebs in attendance included Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Jane Fonda, Ryan Gosling and Naomi Campbell. 

 

When it came time to start bidding on items to help fund the charity, things started a bit slower than DiCaprio expected. 

 

According to the NY Post, the actor jumped on stage, grabbed the microphone and told the audience he would donate $70,000 of his own cash right there. He then publicly called on business moguls Harvey Weinstein and Vladimir Doronin into matching his donation, which they both naturally did. Roberta Armani, niece to the famous fashion designer, also joined in the effort. 

 

Both Thurman and Penn auctioned off red carpet dates to the Golden Globes to anyone who would make a hefty donation. "You will be able to claim you've accompanied the most dour person ever to walk the red carpet," Penn joked. "You'll have to suffer my depression."

 

In less than two hours, more than $1 million was raised for the J/P Haitian Relief Organization.