Leonardo DiCaprio Misses Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala Amid Venezuela-Linked Air Restrictions

Sometimes, even Hollywood’s biggest night plans fall apart for reasons far beyond red carpets and rehearsals. Leonardo DiCaprio was expected to be one of the biggest names at this year’s Palm Springs International

Film Festival Awards Gala. Instead, his absence became one of the most talked-about moments of the evening. The Oscar-winning actor was set to attend the gala and receive a major honour, but unexpected travel restrictions stopped him from making it to California. Festival organisers confirmed that DiCaprio could not travel due to airspace issues linked to a fast-developing geopolitical situation. Why Leonardo DiCaprio could not attend Organisers said DiCaprio could not leave St. Barts, where he was on holiday with family and friends. Air travel disruptions meant flights were not departing as scheduled, so he could not reach Palm Springs in time. A spokesperson for the Palm Springs International Film Festival later confirmed his absence in an official statement. “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 honoured to recognise 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 statement read. However, despite not being present, DiCaprio was still honoured with the Desert Palm Achievement Award for his performance in One Battle After Another. What caused the travel disruption More details came from Palm Springs International Airport, which shared an update on X. The airport said flights were affected due to wider air traffic control issues across Southern California. “An FAA air traffic control issue is impacting Southern California airspace today. Departing flights are currently under a ground stop. 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. Travellers should check directly with their airline for the latest flight information. PSP will share updates as needed,” the statement said. The disruption happened on the same day as a major international development. US President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores had been taken into US custody. Trump shared the update on Truth Social and said the operation was carried out with US law enforcement. Awards season still going strong Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest film, One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, recently won Best Picture from the National Society of Film Critics. DiCaprio has also earned a Best Actor nomination at the upcoming Critics’ Choice Awards, keeping him firmly in the awards race.