Celebrities share their best 'Obama moments' as they pay tribute to the outgoing president

Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres are among the Hollywood stars who have paid tribute to President Barack Obama in an emotional video, honouring the man and his legacy.

Titled, 'Yes We Can: Your Most Memorable Moments from the Obama Presidency,' movie stars, musicians, philanthropists and sporting legends recalled their most memorable moments from his eight years in office at the White House, reminding everyone just why he has been the coolest president ever.

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, John Legend, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill and Melinda Gates joined school children, and American citizens from all walks of life to pay touching personal tributes to the 55-year-old as they recounted the impact of his presidency and his influence on their own lives and on the world.

Seinfeld describes a comic moment when he knocked on the window of the Oval Office to get Obama's attention as 'probably the peak of my entire existence.'

The All Of Me singer John Legend said the moment Obama was elected president in 2008 was so powerful he was moved to tears. "I never cried before, from an election result," he said.

Scandal actress Kerry Washington shared a similar sentiment about the moment the president took the oath of allegiance in front of a sea of people who had turned out to witness the historic moment that American's first black president was sworn in.

"You really felt those first three words of the Constitution, 'We the People. It was one of the first times in my life that I felt like I was really part of that 'We,'" Washington explained.

Actor Tom Hanks said: "When he just changed all the rules on the table in regards to Cuba with the most succinct motivation imaginable, which is 'What we've been doing hasn't worked' — which made all the sense in the world."

Environmental activist and Oscar-winner actor Leonardo DiCaprio said hearing the president champion climate change at the UN was "inspiring."

"When I was at the UN and I heard our president say that climate change is the most important issue facing, not only this generation but also future generations, it was inspiring," DiCaprio said.

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who is famed for getting the nation dancing said that her favorite moment was when she got the president and the First Lady onto the dancefloor.

"The CVS experience with Michelle (Obama) was pretty cool and dancing with Barack at his birthday party. And he's a good dancer. He should not get any flack for that — you're a good dancer," DeGeneres said.

Samuel L. Jackson said the passing of the Affordable Care Act was a personally significant moment.

"The moment that we got the Affordable Care Act passed, because I have relatives that can't afford health insurance, so it was really a great thing to know that if something happened to them, they could get cared for," Jackson shared.

Retired Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant recalled a moment that captured Obama's swag, when the president dropped his mic at the end of his speech during the White House Correspondents' Dinner. "Dropped the mic on 'em, blew the kiss. When I saw that, it absolutely blew me away," Bryant said.

Perhaps though, the most moving tributes came from the children, who found in Obama a role model and a hero who didn't mind getting down on all fours on the floor of the Oval office just to be at their level. With the hashtag Obama and Kids being dubbed 'the best Twitter trend ever', thousands of people shared treasured photos of the father-of-two joining children for Halloween parties at The White House and with children asleep in his arms.

One child said: "The most memorable Obama moment for me was when the president said: "Eat your peas" which means 'Just Do It' or get the most important thing done first."

While another little girl's comment perhaps sums up best, the far-reaching impact of Obama's legacy on future generations. "He's my role model, my idol, because I want to be president," she said.

The video was published by the White House the day before the Obamas hosted a star-studded farewell party at the White House on Friday (6 January) Mail Online reports.

Obama is set to give his final speech as president of the United States on Tuesday (10 January) in Chicago.