Leonardo DiCaprio's chinook climate change comments mocked by Alberta politicos on Twitter
But Calgarian who worked on set says the weather was 'wacky' last winter
Several Alberta politicians and even the chair of the province's climate change panel, Andrew Leach, had a bit of fun on Twitter this week mocking Leonardo DiCaprio.
I can assure you that acting on the recommendations of the Alberta climate change panel will NOT prevent chinooks.
—@andrew_leach
Someone also might have wanted to show Leonardo DiCaprio this <a href="https://t.co/DEjSugN5jg">https://t.co/DEjSugN5jg</a>
—@MichelleRempel
Something completely different... <a href="https://twitter.com/kathytelfer">@kathytelfer</a>: .<a href="https://twitter.com/LeoDiCaprio">@LeoDiCaprio</a> made me laugh out loud <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sad?src=hash">#sad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/actorslife?src=hash">#actorslife</a> <a href="https://t.co/AoREnXLyDU">https://t.co/AoREnXLyDU</a>"
—@RicMcIver
It all started after the Hollywood star called a chinook — a totally normal weather phenomenon that brings warm winds to southern Alberta as long as Albertans have been recording weather — climate change.
DiCaprio experienced the magic of a chinook, which he described as "scary" in a Variety.com article while shooting The Revenant near Calgary last winter.
"I've never experienced something so first-hand that was so dramatic. You see the fragility of nature and how easily things can be completely transformed with just a few degrees difference. It's terrifying, and it's what people are talking about all over the world. And it's simply just going to get worse," said DiCaprio.
"We were in Calgary and the locals were saying, 'This has never happened in our province ever.' We would come and there would be eight feet of snow, and then all of a sudden a warm gust of wind would come."
And it's not just Alberta politicos who are poking fun at DiCaprio's comments. Pretty much all of the province is taking this one and running with it.
A Chinook is a warm wind that Calgarians welcome. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeonardoDiCaprio?src=hash">#LeonardoDiCaprio</a> is a hot fart that blew in and left an unwanted stench in the air.
—@Schwenns_C
<a href="https://twitter.com/LeoDiCaprio">@LeoDiCaprio</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/OilsandsAction">@OilsandsAction</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ABDanielleSmith">@ABDanielleSmith</a> y is he against the oilgas biz? What pwrs his boat and the tobac farms <a href="https://t.co/PG1POxA8ar">pic.twitter.com/PG1POxA8ar</a>
—@kailesandchyna
Revenant insider defends DiCaprio
But one local who who worked on the set of the film will say last winter in Calgary was "wacky."
While he's no meteorologist, Steve Keivit — a trainee assistant director on The Revenant — says DiCaprio was likely "informed" about chinooks before he arrived in Alberta, but probably didn't know how quickly they can change the weather.
"You know, it's shocking to see that, to experience it when you're not from here. And even when you're from here it can be a bit crazy."
Keivit says snow-making machines were brought in on set, but some days it became too balmy to make snow. That's when the crew had to "pull it from the mountains" in Kananaskis.
Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.