Leonardo DiCaprio donates $50,000 to Grenier's whale film fund

Leonardo DiCaprio has made a $50,000 (GBP33,300) donation to actor Adrien Grenier's initiative to fund a new documentary about the world's loneliest whale.

DiCaprio, a longtime conservationist, has made the handout to the Entourage star's Kickstarter project through his environmental charity the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

The cash will help Grenier and his filmmaking partners fund their new documentary 52: The Search for the Loneliest Whale.

The Departed star is among 3,300 backers, who have swelled the fund to over $330,000 (GBP220,000).

The documentary, directed by Josh Zeman and executive produced by Grenier, will follow the pair's search for a whale, dubbed 52 Hertz for the extremely rare 52-hertz frequency at which he or she emits calls.

The sound is out of the hearing range for other whales and means that 52 Hertz travels alone, sadly calling out for company.

Confirming his fellow actor's donation on Wednesday (11Mar15), Grenier says, "Thank you to the 3,300 backers and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation for making this science based creative project come to life. These donations validate our ongoing efforts and to get their vote of confidence is a huge moral boost for myself and team Lonely Whale."

Launching the Kickstarter.com campaign recently, director Zeman wrote, "Funds will pay for everything from our boat to the gas, the food, the permits, and our scientists.