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Leonardo DiCaprio was unable to appear at a California awards show on Saturday, January 3, because of the fallout of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela.
DiCaprio, 51, was supposed to accept a Desert Palm Achievement Award for his acclaimed performance in Oscar contender One Battle After Another at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala but was unable to travel to the event.
“Leonardo DiCaprio is unable to join us in person tonight due to unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace,” a Palm Springs International Film Festival spokesperson confirmed to Us Weekly. “While we will miss celebrating with him in person, we are honored to recognize his exceptional work and lasting contributions to cinema. His talent and dedication to the craft continue to inspire, and we are delighted to celebrate him with the Desert Palm Achievement Award this evening.”
The actor was supposed to depart St. Barts for California in order to attend the Palm Springs gala on Saturday night but his scheduled flight could not take off due to air travel restrictions in the surrounding area related to U.S. military action in Venezuela, according to Variety. People reported on Saturday, January 3, that DiCaprio and his girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti hung out with NFL legend Tom Brady on a yacht off the coast of St. Barts on New Year’s Day.
Us has reached out to DiCaprio for comment.
Others likely faced similar travel issues since the Palm Springs International Airport announced via X on Saturday that “an FAA air traffic control issue” was impacting flights.
“Departing flights are currently under a ground stop,” the airport tweeted. “Aircraft have been able to arrive, though some inbound flights have diverted and delays are expected. This is not specific to PSP and is affecting multiple SoCal airports. Travelers should check directly with their airline for the latest flight information. PSP will share updates as needed.”
Flights were grounded for around four hours before the Palm Springs International Airport confirmed that “ground stop” orders had finally been “lifted” at around 4:20 p.m. PT.
Earlier on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces conducted a military raid that led to the arrest of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores. The politician and his wife were initially held on the USS Iwo Jima before being brought ashore in New York City to face a criminal trial.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in December 2025. Getty Images/Federico PARRA / AFP
Shortly after Maduro’s arrest in a pre-dawn raid, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Venezuelan leader would be tried for “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices” and “conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.” At a press conference on Saturday, President Trump said the U.S. was “going to run” Venezuela until it can guarantee “a safe, proper and judicious transition.” (Maduro has repeatedly denied narco-terrorism charges levied by the U.S.)
“We don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years,” Trump, 79, told reporters. “So, we are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition, and it has to be judicious.”
The Associated Press reported on Saturday that no airline flights were seen crossing over Venezuelan airspace following Maduro’s arrest. Hundreds of other commercial flights in the eastern Caribbean region were canceled. (Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has indicated that normal travel will resume in the region on Sunday, January 4.)
Meanwhile, the Palm Springs International Film Awards announced back in November that DiCaprio would be a guest of honor and receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for One Battle After Another.
“In One Battle After Another, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a riveting and emotionally charged performance, embodying a man pushed to his breaking point in the face of relentless adversity,” festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said at the time. “Across his career, DiCaprio has continually redefined what is possible in screen acting — bringing emotional depth, artistic integrity, and fearless commitment to every role. It is our honor to present him with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor, in recognition of his enduring influence and exceptional body of work.”
While DiCaprio missed the gala, Timothée Chalamet, Michael B. Jordan, Adam Sandler and Kate Hudson were all expected to attend Saturday’s ceremony.
