The Oscar winner had to skip an awards show due to “unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace.”

Leonardo DiCaprio forced to miss major event over Trump strike on Venezuela

The Oscar winner had to skip an awards show due to "unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace."

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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January 4, 2026 2:34 p.m. ET

Leonardo DiCaprio attends the 16th Governors Awards on Nov. 16, 2025. Credit:

Frazer Harrison/WireImage

Leonardo DiCaprio was unable to attend a major California event on Saturday night due to travel restrictions implemented in the wake of the U.S. airstrikes in Venezuela.

The acclaimed 51-year-old actor was set to accept a Desert Palm Achievement Award honoring his performance in Oscar contender *One Battle After Another *at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala held on Jan. 3. But DiCaprio could not leave the coast of St. Barts — where he was photographed vacationing with friends Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez — because of the developing geopolitical situation, *Variety *reported.

In a statement provided to **, a spokesperson for the Palm Springs International Film Festival said, "Leonardo DiCaprio is unable to join us in person tonight due to unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace. 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."

EW has reached out to representatives for DiCaprio for additional comment.

Leonardo DiCaprio attends the "One Battle After Another" London premiere on Sept. 16, 2025.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

In the early morning hours of Jan. 3, President Donald Trump oversaw strikes on Venezuelan soil in a proposed invasion of the South American nation. He later announced that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cila Flores, had been taken into U.S. custody following an overnight military operation. They face charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and use of destructive devices against the United States.

Amid those developments, Palm Springs International Airport released a statement on X announcing that departing flights are under a ground stop. "An FAA air traffic control issue is impacting Southern California airspace today," the statement read. "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."

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DiCaprio ultimately accepted his award in a pre-recorded video message introduced by his* One Battle* costars Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti.

"I wish I was there to celebrate with all of you. I'm truly grateful to be a part of it, even from the distance," he said before focusing on the lasting importance of going to the cinema. "Movies are still meant to be experienced together, in a theater. Right now, that belief matters more than ever. Original films are harder to make and harder to protect. But movies still matter — not content, but cinema. Stories made by people meant to be shared in a dark room in a communal experience."

Leonardo DiCaprio in 'One Battle After Another'.

Warner Bros. Pictures

He concluded, "Thank you for believing in this work, and thank you for believing in the movies."

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Even without DiCaprio present, the event featured plenty of A-list honorees, including Timothée Chalamet (who earned the Spotlight Award), Rose Byrne (for her Breakthrough Performance Award), Michael B. Jordan and Kate Hudson (for their Icon Awards), Ethan Hawke (for a Career Achievement Award), Adam Sandler (for the Chairman’s Award), Elle Fanning (for the International Star Award), and many more. At one point, Hawke presented Amanda Seyfried with her own Desert Palm Achievement Award, for her new movie *The Testament of Ann Lee,* and she shouted out DiCaprio in her acceptance speech.

"I want to thank Leo for inspiring me to be an actor," Seyfried said. "So it's weird. It's amazing to get this award. It's the same title of the award, so it's like sharing it with him? Sort of? Maybe."

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