Leonardo DiCaprio's Russian Fans Are Melting Down Their Gold to Make Him an Oscar

At this stage in awards season, it seems almost
certain that Leonardo DiCaprio will win his first
Oscar this February 28. If there is a God, we
imagine that even He has ticked off DiCaprio’s
name on his Oscar pool in pen. But what if we are
all wrong and the Screen Actors Guild, the
Hollywood.
Foreign Press Association, and every other award-
giving entity who celebrated The Revenant star
are no indication of who will claim the little gold
man this month. What would we, as a Leo-loving
nation, do if someone else’s name is called?
Channel our disappointment into some Poor Leo
Internet meme again?
Well, DiCaprio’s fans in Siberia have prepared for
this unlikely outcome while simultaneously
proving themselves to be the most devoted Leo
fans on planet Earth. Metro reports that the
actor’s female admirers in Russia’s Far East are
donating their silver and gold valuables to an
“Oscar for Leo” campaign, which will melt down
the jewelry and sculpt it into the exact shape of
an Oscar statuette.
Er, well, the silver and gold will be converted into
the approximate shape of an Oscar statuette, plus
a few upgrades. So, instead of the traditional
little gold man holding a sword, this little silver
man will be holding “a golden ‘choron’—a
traditional three-legged Yakut goblet.” Another
difference—the Siberian Oscar’s head will be
looking upward rather than down.
“We have just started fundraising for the statue,”
a teacher from the Arctic State Institute of
Culture and Arts, Tatiana Egorova, told Russian
news channel RIA Novosti (via RT.com).
According to early calculations, it will cost
100,000 rubles (about $1,300) to build a 12-inch
statue—although the size will vary depending on
the number of donations. Egorova also explained
that many of the women donated part of their
valuables so that they could keep the other part—
like separating a pair of earrings—and feel closer
to the actor.
“Like one half will be with Leonardo DiCaprio and
one half with them,” she said. “To be somehow
connected with the actor.”
So far about 100 people have donated their
valuables. The campaign’s organizer has
expressed, according to The Metro, “It might not
be a real Oscar, it was just as valid a prize for
Leo’s efforts in The Revenant .” While some cynics
might debate that statement, we are certain that
the eco-activist actor would appreciate the effort.
Here’s to you, Leo.