Leonardo DiCaprio was unable to seem at a California awards present on Saturday, January 3, due to the fallout of the U.S. navy operation in Venezuela.
DiCaprio, 51, was supposed to just accept a Desert Palm Achievement Award for his acclaimed efficiency in Oscar contender One Battle After One other on the Palm Springs Worldwide Movie Pageant Awards Gala however was unable to journey to the occasion.
“Leonardo DiCaprio is unable to affix us in particular person tonight as a consequence of surprising journey disruptions and restricted airspace,” a Palm Springs Worldwide Movie Pageant spokesperson confirmed to Us Weekly. “Whereas we are going to miss celebrating with him in particular person, we’re honored to acknowledge his distinctive work and lasting contributions to cinema. His expertise and dedication to the craft proceed to encourage, and we’re delighted to have a good time him with the Desert Palm Achievement Award this night.”
The actor was imagined to depart St. Barts for California so as to attend the Palm Springs gala on Saturday evening however his scheduled flight couldn’t take off as a consequence of air journey restrictions within the surrounding space associated to U.S. navy motion in Venezuela, in keeping with Selection. Folks reported on Saturday, January 3, that DiCaprio and his girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti frolicked with NFL legend Tom Brady on a yacht off the coast of St. Barts on New 12 months’s Day.
Us has reached out to DiCaprio for remark.
Others seemingly confronted comparable journey points because the Palm Springs Worldwide Airport introduced through X on Saturday that “an FAA air visitors management challenge” was impacting flights.
“Departing flights are presently beneath a floor cease,” the airport tweeted. “Plane have been in a position to arrive, although some inbound flights have diverted and delays are anticipated. This isn’t particular to PSP and is affecting a number of SoCal airports. Vacationers ought to test immediately with their airline for the newest flight info. PSP will share updates as wanted.”
Flights had been grounded for round 4 hours earlier than the Palm Springs Worldwide Airport confirmed that “floor cease” orders had lastly been “lifted” at round 4:20 p.m. PT.
Earlier on Saturday, President Donald Trump introduced that U.S. forces performed a navy raid that led to the arrest of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his spouse, Cilia Flores. The politician and his spouse had been initially held on the usIwo Jima earlier than being introduced ashore in New York Metropolis to face a prison trial.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and First Girl Cilia Flores in December 2025. Getty Pictures/Federico PARRA / AFP
Shortly after Maduro’s arrest in a pre-dawn raid, Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi introduced that the Venezuelan chief could be tried for “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine weapons and harmful units” and “conspiracy to own machine weapons and harmful units towards the USA.” At a press convention on Saturday, President Trump stated the U.S. was “going to run” Venezuela till it might probably assure “a protected, correct and even handed transition.” (Maduro has repeatedly denied narco-terrorism fees levied by the U.S.)
“We don’t wish to be concerned with having anyone else get in, and now we have the identical scenario that we had for the final lengthy interval of years,” Trump, 79, informed reporters. “So, we’re going to run the nation till such time as we will do a protected, correct and even handed transition, and it must be even handed.”
The Related Press reported on Saturday that no airline flights had been seen crossing over Venezuelan airspace following Maduro’s arrest. A whole lot of different industrial flights within the japanese Caribbean area had been canceled. (Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has indicated that standard journey will resume within the area on Sunday, January 4.)
In the meantime, the Palm Springs Worldwide Movie Awards introduced again in November that DiCaprio could be a visitor of honor and obtain the Desert Palm Achievement Award for One Battle After One other.
“In One Battle After One other, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a riveting and emotionally charged efficiency, embodying a person pushed to his breaking level within the face of relentless adversity,” pageant chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi stated on the time. “Throughout his profession, DiCaprio has regularly redefined what is feasible in display screen appearing — bringing emotional depth, creative integrity, and fearless dedication to each function. It’s our honor to current him with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor, in recognition of his enduring affect and distinctive physique of labor.”
Whereas DiCaprio missed the gala, Timothée Chalamet, Michael B. Jordan, Adam Sandler and Kate Hudson had been all anticipated to attend Saturday’s ceremony.
