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DiCaprio: Obama win has lifted weight off our shoulders

07/11/2008

Leonardo DiCaprio has expressed his pride at Barack Obama's win in the US presidential election.

Speaking as more than 200 screaming fans lined the red carpet for the UK premiere of his new CIA thriller Body of Lies, the actor was keen to reveal his excitement at the historic victory.

"I couldn't be more proud of my country right now, proud to be an American, and I think the entire world was looking for a transition like this," he told reporters.

"I feel like a great weight has been lifted off of our country's shoulders. [Mr Obama] promised change and all we can do as a country right now is support him."

He continued: "I stayed up all night to listen to his victory speech which was prophetic and beautiful. He encompassed 100 years of strife in our country which resulted in the first African-American president which is a beautiful symbol for our country."

The Blood Diamond star revealed he been in Rome at the time of Mr Obama's election win but had "a group of American friends" to celebrate with.

Body of Lies, directed by Sir Ridley Scott, sees DiCaprio as a US intelligence agent attempting to track down a terrorist chief by creating a fake rival operation.

Russell Crowe - making his fourth film with Sir Ridley - stars as DiCaprio's veteran boss Ed Hoffman in Body of Lies, but did not join his co-star at the British opening.

DiCaprio said his decision to star in Body of Lies was a "no-brainer".

He explained he could not turn down the chance to work with Sir Ridley - "who's made a masterpiece with every genre of cinema" - and Crowe, who he labelled "one of the best actors in the industry right now".

The 33-year-old said Body of Lies - which reached a disappointing third at the US box office - "is topical and says something about the world today but is simultaneously entertaining".

Body of Lies is released on November 21st.