|
Official Press Release Leonardo DiCaprio - February 5, 1999
PHI PHI LEY ISLAND, Thailand - I am acting, here in Thailand, in a film called The Beach. It is about backpackers who look for utopia on a Thai island. The location on the book where the story´s utopia is set, is in a national park, so we have remained true to the book. Phi Phi Ley Island seems the most perfect location that the book´s author, Alex Garland, could have imagined. A small island encompasses a wall of rock, with an idyllic world inside. In the film, the interesting thing about my character, Richard, is he is a backpacker in the true sense of the word. A rugged individualist. He is not looking for luxury. He is truly looking for adventure. The great thing about real backpackers, who come to foreign countries, is they go to more isolated places, and improve the commerce of the people who live there. I think the release of a film like this will encourage young people to see the beauty of Thailand, and encourage more young backpackers to come here. This film will also encourage more people to explore the countryside of Thailand, and some of the isolated villages that wouldn´t normally earn money from tourism. Personally, I find the Thai people to be extremely friendly and polite, and very welcoming to foreigners. Back home in America, Thailand is certainly the hot spot for young people to go, one of the most interesting places to go. They say, "Before you die, you have to go there." I told a lot of my friends I was coming here, and they were very interested too. I also want to say a few things about what is going on, concerning the environmental issues of our shooting in Thailand, and would like to tell my side of the story, and put the record straight. For example, I would never, by any means, intentionally go forth with a project that I believed would damage the environment of any country, or the image of Thailand. I just want to say two points: I know that the company took three tons of garbage off the island, and I believe that whenever we leave the island, it is going to be better off than it was before. From what I see with my own eyes, everything is OK. I have seen nothing that had been destroyed or damaged in any way. I cannot tell you the reasons why people have been saying the opposite. It is beyond me. I´ve seen Fox taking meticulous care, and their utmost respect for the island. If I had seen any evidence that anything was being done wrong, I wouldn´t be happy. I wouldn´t endorse this project. The environment, and environmental issues, are the first and foremost charitable concerns I have focused on, and I consider myself an environmentalist. And I want to do a lot more for this cause in the future. I would never be part of a situation that would cause harm to an island, or waterfall, or any place. From what I´ve been told about Fox´s filming on Phi Phi Ley Island, people have approved it. We had about 20 environmentalists come and study it, and said it was 100 percent fine. So it is not just my personal opinion. Thank you very much for your time. Leonardo DiCaprio
*
|