In Pictures: Leonardo DiCaprio visits the Capital

Forget the Wolf of Wall Street. Forget Titanic.
Oscar winning actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio at HomeOscar winning actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio at Home
Oscar winning actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio at Home

Leonardo DiCaprio showed the power that true Hollywood royalty has to move people when he popped into an Edinburgh restaurant yesterday.

It wasn’t just any old restaurant, of course – it was Social Bite founder Josh Little­john’s latest venture, Home, in Queensferry Street, which specialises in helping homeless people rebuild their lives.

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Crushed up against barriers, listening to the Titanic theme tune on their phones, hundreds of film fans had gathered to catch a glimpse of the A-lister.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio at Home Restaurant on Queensferry Street. Picture; Greg MacveanActor Leonardo DiCaprio at Home Restaurant on Queensferry Street. Picture; Greg Macvean
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio at Home Restaurant on Queensferry Street. Picture; Greg Macvean

And, dressed in a dark blue suit, the Oscar-winner posed for selfies and signed autographs after jumping out of a red Mercedes 4x4 shortly after midday.

Even with the rain pouring down, crowds of people from across the country continued to gather, all hoping to grab a photo with the star.

The actor then joined 31 other guests, including Chris Evans and Rob Brydon, for a Scottish-themed lunch at Home.

Elise Lovell, 45, was also present after winning the chance to have lunch with DiCaprio and sat across from him.

Pic Greg MacveanPic Greg Macvean
Pic Greg Macvean

For Biffy Mackay – who was homeless for five years before joining Social Bite – the day was particularly special.

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The trainee chef, 28, who helped prepare lunch for the star, said: “I steamed his couscous. He’s having lamb tagine. I told him I’ve loved him since I was nine and that I did a project about him at school. He said, ‘That’s so cool’.”

Biffy said that meeting DiCaprio had provided a huge boost to her self-belief.

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“When you are homeless people don’t look at you, they look through you,” she added.

Fans wait for Hollywood A-Lister Leonardo DiCaprio to arrive at Home Restaurant in Edinburgh, owned by Social Bite, where he will meet and feed homeless.Fans wait for Hollywood A-Lister Leonardo DiCaprio to arrive at Home Restaurant in Edinburgh, owned by Social Bite, where he will meet and feed homeless.
Fans wait for Hollywood A-Lister Leonardo DiCaprio to arrive at Home Restaurant in Edinburgh, owned by Social Bite, where he will meet and feed homeless.

“I didn’t feel like person back then, I felt invisible. Now I have totally turned my life around. It has given me such a big confidence boost to cook lunch for Leo DiCaprio. I have loved him since I was little girl – it’s a dream come true.”

Iain Goode, 27, and Vicki Tait, 32, travelled from Glasgow to Edinburgh to be in with a chance of seeing the actor.

Iain said: “We’ve been here since 5am, I’m so cold but it’s all been worth it. I wouldn’t do it for anyone but Leonardo ­DiCaprio, I managed to get a selfie with him.

“He is an amazing actor who I really admire so I wanted to welcome him to Scotland.

Leonardo diCaprio waving to the people of Edinburgh outside 'Home' on Queensferry StreetLeonardo diCaprio waving to the people of Edinburgh outside 'Home' on Queensferry Street
Leonardo diCaprio waving to the people of Edinburgh outside 'Home' on Queensferry Street

“I grew up loving Titanic, I also love Wolf of Wall Street – I love him because he chooses the roles that he wants.

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“I can’t believe I met him face to face, he’s just amazing.”

DiCaprio’s lunch follows in the footsteps of George Clooney, Richard Branson and Bill Clinton, who have all visited in previous years.

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It also came ahead of his keynote speech last night at the Scottish Business Awards, with the screen icon warning of an “uprising” against any future move by US president-elect Donald Trump to dismantle the Paris climate change agreement and withdraw UN funding.

Addressing an audience of 2000 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, DiCaprio said: “I will say to that though it has been a very interesting election in our country.”

He added: “If this current administration follows through with a lot of things they have promised on the campaign trail then we have a lot of work to do.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio at Home Restaurant on Queensferry Street. Picture; Greg MacveanActor Leonardo DiCaprio at Home Restaurant on Queensferry Street. Picture; Greg Macvean
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio at Home Restaurant on Queensferry Street. Picture; Greg Macvean

“There’s been mentions of dismantling the Paris agreement, taking away funding from the UN, drilling again, and, you know, unfortunately there’s a lot to talk about over the next four years. But I think that the environmental movement has already spoken out loudly that we’re not going to allow these things to happen, and if I think if they want to follow through on these promises there will be an uprising and a strong backlash.”