Leonardo DiCaprio Told President Obama He’s Signed Up to Go to Mars

2 minute read

Oscar-winning actor, environmentalist, and wearer of many hats Leonardo DiCaprio has done some crazy things in his life: battled a grizzly bear, surprised Jonah Hill on the street, yachted around the world. But signing up for the world’s first experimental trip to the planet Mars? That seems like an extreme move. And yet.

On Monday at the White House’s South by South Lawn (SXSL) festival of ideas, the actor was engaged in a panel discussion with President Obama and Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist, who joked that it was of paramount importance to preserve our planet, as moving to Mars like entrepreneur Elon Musk had recently pitched wasn’t a realistic option.

“If you’re a human living on this planet—which most of us are, yeah?” she said, according to Inverse. “As long as we haven’t signed up for the trip to Mars—I don’t want to know if anyone has—I think you’re crazy.”

“I did,” DiCaprio joked.

“I think he’ll acknowledge he’s crazy,” Obama added.

To refresh your memory, Musk himself warned that anyone who signed up should be prepared to die. Leo, life on earth seems pretty good for you right now; might we recommend you reconsider the mission? Besides, Matt Damon’s already done it.

[h/t Inverse]

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Write to Raisa Bruner at raisa.bruner@time.com