Leonardo da Putin

Internet users worldwide may have poked fun at Leonardo DiCaprio for his Oscar desperation, but Russians upped the ante after the actor supposedly said he wouldn’t mind playing President Vladimir Putin.

“Putin would be very, very, very interesting. I would love to play him,” DiCaprio told Germany’s Die Welt.

Knights Bridge Entertainment announced the film on its website, promising an “intimate look” into the life of Putin. (“From the KGB, to Prime Minister… to President. The Man, The Myth! An intimate look into the life and rise of one of the world’s most powerful men.”) It did not, however, confirm rumors that The Revenant star had been picked for the role.

In fact, Russians are arguing, DiCaprio does not really look like Putin, although he does share a likeness with another Russian leader – Vladimir Lenin. Pictures comparing the two, especially at a younger age, have been passed around the internet.

DiCaprio said that Lenin also fascinates him: “Lenin also would be an interesting role. I would like also to star as Rasputin.”

Russian film director Vladimir Bortko (of Heart of a Dog fame) and the St. Petersburg Lenfilm studio have already expressed interest in doing a period film starring DiCaprio.

Whatever he does, Leo has fans in the world’s biggest country. Some movie lovers in Yakutia are reportedly making him an Oscar of their own, donating their jewelry to be melted down for the project. A local artist is at work on a statuette that will have Asian features. Made of silver, the figure will hold a golden “choroon” – a Yakut jar for storing kumis, a fermented milk beverage.

Elsewhere on Russia’s DiCaprio Front

Roman Burtsev, a senior expert at Russia’s 112 rescue service, will profit off his similarity to DiCaprio. A reality show on the Moscow-24 channel will work with Burtsev
to make him look even more like the movie star.

Strong Words

Ramzan Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya for more than a decade, caused a firestorm when he penned a scandalous op-ed in pro-Kremlin Izvestia, calling the country’s political opposition “jackals” who must be obliterated, and offering to lock them up in a mental asylum:

“Those who call for dialog with the jackals, who dream of destroying our state, may not be able to wash off their cowardly canine stench. As a patriot and foot soldier of President Vladimir Putin, I will never kowtow before with anyone who murders and betrays my country.”

The hysterical article, which followed calls by Kadyrov to punish “enemies of the state” that dare to oppose the Kremlin, was viewed with both fear and confusion, as the escalation of rhetoric seemed to be entirely unprovoked. When opposition leaders and rights activists accused Kadyrov of inciting hatred that might drive his legions of supporters to criminal acts, Kadyrov deployed his extensive regional apparatus. Chechens posing with signs “for Kadyrov” began showing up on Instagram, and tens of thousands gathered in Grozny for a rally in support of their president.

So as to leave no room for interpretation, Kadyrov also published a video on Instagram showing opposition leader and former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov in a sniper’s crosshairs. Instagram deleted the video after several hours, saying it violated other users’ rights. For his part, the Chechen strongman said he was being punished by “USA guard dogs.”