Leonardo DiCaprio Stuck In St Barths After US President Trump’s Venezuela Move

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio was unexpectedly unable to attend one of the most prominent movie events of the season due to disruptions in Caribbean air travel triggered by US military activities in Venezuela.

The Oscar-winning actor was on holiday in St Barths when flights around the region became unstable and, in many cases, stopped due to airspace restrictions imposed after a Trump-ordered onslaught against Venezuela.

As a result, DiCaprio missed the 37th Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Saturday, January 3, in California, where he was slated to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for his role in ‘One Battle After Another.’

Leonardo DiCaprio Unable to Leave St Barths

President Donald Trump authorised a series of

military operations and acts against the Venezuelan government, which sparked the travel disruption, as part of a larger attempt to imprison President Nicolas Maduro on accusations involving suspected drug trafficking.

Major airlines had to cancel hundreds of flights to and from regional hubs, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Lesser Antilles, which forced aviation authorities to impose airspace restrictions throughout the Caribbean.

Flying restrictions in the Caribbean following the US-Venezuela crisis reportedly held back the Oscar winner from leaving St Barths, where he was spotted on holiday with fiancee Vittoria Ceretti and celebrity friends, including Tom Brady.

“Leonardo DiCaprio is unable to join us in person tonight due to unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace,” a representative for the Palm Springs International Film Festival told PEOPLE.

Virtual Acceptance and Festival Reactions

Despite his absence, festival organisers made sure DiCaprio’s accomplishment was recognised. “While we will miss celebrating with him in person, we are honoured to recognise his exceptional work and lasting contributions to cinema,” the Palm Springs International Film Festival statement continued.

“His talent and dedication to the art continue to inspire, and we are delighted to celebrate him with the Desert Palm Achievement Award this evening,” it added.

The actor delivered a pre-recorded acceptance speech to Palm Springs International Film Festival organisers, where he thanked them for the honour and discussed the collaborative nature of filmmaking.

Thanking his co-stars Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, and Regina Hall, DiCaprio said, “I will begin by thanking two extraordinary women, Chase and Teyana … Thank you for standing across from me every day in the film. It was an absolute privilege.”

Palm Springs International Airport Released Travel Alert

Earlier, on January 3, Palm Springs International Airport announced that departing planes were subject to a ground halt in a statement posted on X.

“An FAA air traffic control issue is impacting Southern California airspace today,” the message 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.”

PSP TRAVEL ALERT: FAA air traffic control issue impacting SoCal airspace today. Departing flights are under a ground stop. Aircraft have been able to arrive, though some inbound flights have diverted and delays are expected. Check with your airline for the latest flight status. pic.twitter.com/rHIIvgM9y9

— Palm Springs International Airport (@flyPSP) January 3, 2026

The ground halt had been removed by 4:20 pm local time.

Following a military operation overnight, President Donald Trump declared on Saturday morning that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cila Flores were taken into US custody.