PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Leonardo DiCaprio, the Oscar-winning actor celebrated for his role in Paul Thomas Anderson's critically acclaimed film One Battle After Another, will not attend the Palm Springs International Film Festival's awards gala on Saturday night due to travel disruptions stemming from the U.S. military strikes on Venezuela earlier in the day.
The festival, running from January 2 to 11 in the Sonoran Desert city, had planned to honor DiCaprio with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, recognizing his performance as the actor counterpart to the event's top film prize. DiCaprio's absence was announced just hours before the ceremony at the Palm Springs Convention Center, where other high-profile figures including Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Adam Sandler, Amanda Seyfried, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Hudson, Rose Byrne, and Ethan Hawke were expected to appear, along with casts and filmmakers from Oscar contenders like Frankenstein, Sentimental Value, and Hamnet.
In a statement released Saturday afternoon, the festival organizers expressed disappointment but reaffirmed their admiration for the actor. “Leonardo DiCaprio is unable to join us in person tonight due to unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace,” the statement read. “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.”
Representatives for DiCaprio, who could not be reached for immediate comment, had not provided further details by late Saturday. According to reports, the 51-year-old actor was vacationing off the coast of St. Barts over the New Year holidays with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez, when the strikes occurred in the early morning hours. The timing placed him in a position where return flights to Southern California were hampered by the ensuing airspace restrictions.
Palm Springs International Airport confirmed the disruptions in a post on its website, noting that Southern California airspace was affected by the international incident. Departing flights from the airport were placed under a ground stop, while arrivals continued as normal or were diverted to other facilities. The airport advised travelers to check with their airlines for updates, emphasizing that the restrictions were temporary but could extend into the weekend depending on federal directives.
The travel chaos is a direct fallout from President Donald Trump's decision to authorize military strikes on Venezuelan targets, an operation that unfolded in the predawn hours of Saturday. Trump, who returned to the White House for a second term earlier this month, oversaw the action aimed at toppling Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. According to White House officials, U.S. forces successfully captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were transported to New York later in the day to face federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and possession of destructive devices against the United States.
Trump cited Venezuela's vast oil reserves and its alleged involvement in drug trafficking networks supplying the U.S. as justifications for the incursion, which was conducted without prior Congressional approval. In a briefing from the Oval Office, the president indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would oversee the transitional administration in Caracas. “We're securing our interests and putting an end to the chaos that's been bleeding into our neighborhoods for too long,” Trump said, according to a pool report from the White House press corps.
The strikes have ignited immediate backlash across the political spectrum, with protests erupting in major U.S. cities including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New York by midday Saturday. Democratic leaders decried the move as an unconstitutional overreach, drawing parallels to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “a dangerous escalation that risks American lives without a vote from the people's representatives,” in a statement released from Capitol Hill.
Even some Republicans expressed reservations, though support from Trump's inner circle remained firm. A bipartisan group in the Senate, led by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), announced plans to introduce a war powers resolution next week, aiming to block any further offensive actions in Venezuela without legislative consent. The measure, if passed, would invoke the 1973 War Powers Resolution to limit the president's military engagements abroad.
International reactions poured in swiftly, with leaders from Brazil, Colombia, and the European Union condemning the unilateral U.S. action as a violation of sovereignty. Venezuelan opposition figures, however, welcomed the ouster of Maduro, whom they have long accused of authoritarian rule and economic mismanagement that plunged the country into crisis. Human rights organizations like Amnesty International reported unconfirmed accounts of civilian casualties during the strikes, urging an independent investigation.
Back in Palm Springs, the festival pressed on with its 2026 edition, marking the return of the Book to Screen program in partnership with Deadline. The event's awards gala, a key kickoff to the Hollywood awards season, highlighted films positioning themselves for the Oscars. One Battle After Another, a rousing father-daughter adventure drama, has grossed over $205 million worldwide since its release last fall and was named Best Picture of 2025 by the National Society of Film Critics earlier in the day.
“PTA’s rousing father-daughter adventure drama has made over $205 million at the box office worldwide and appears poised to be an Academy Award frontrunner,” festival programming director Lily Eskelsen said in an interview ahead of the gala. “Leo's performance anchors the entire story—it's raw, emotional, and utterly captivating.”
DiCaprio's portrayal in the film has positioned him as a strong contender for Best Actor at the upcoming Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday, where he will compete alongside Chalamet and others. Despite the actor's absence, the festival planned a video tribute to DiCaprio during the ceremony, ensuring his recognition amid the global headlines.
The intersection of Hollywood glamour and geopolitical turmoil underscores the unpredictable start to 2026's awards circuit. As Avatar approaches $300 million domestically and other releases like Housemaid hold steady, industry insiders are watching how the Venezuela crisis might ripple through international distribution and talent travel. News networks, caught off guard by the early-morning confirmation of the strikes, scrambled to cover the dual stories of military action and celebrity fallout.
Variety was the first outlet to report DiCaprio's absence from the festival, citing sources close to the production. Deadline later corroborated the details, reaching out to DiCaprio's team for additional clarification. As the evening unfolded, the Palm Springs Convention Center buzzed with attendees undeterred by the news, focusing on the films that promise to dominate the year's conversation.
Looking ahead, the Senate's vote on the war powers resolution could reshape U.S. policy in Latin America, while DiCaprio's team indicated he hopes to make appearances at later events, including the Golden Globes in Los Angeles next weekend. For now, the actor's honor stands as a testament to his enduring influence, even as world events ground his plans—literally—in place.