The 51-year-old actor was scheduled to receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for his acclaimed performance in Oscar contender One Battle After Another at the Palm Springs International Film Festival ceremony on Jan. 3. However, DiCaprio was unable to depart St. Barts, where he had been vacationing, due to restricted airspace following U.S. airstrikes in Venezuela, according to Variety.
In a statement shared with Entertainment Weekly, a festival spokesperson said DiCaprio could not attend “due to unexpected travel disruptions and restricted airspace,” but emphasized that the organization was still honored to celebrate his “exceptional work and lasting contributions to cinema.”
Earlier that day, President Donald Trump confirmed U.S. military strikes in Venezuela, announcing that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cila Flores, had been taken into U.S. custody. Shortly after, Palm Springs International Airport reported a ground stop affecting departing flights across Southern California because of an FAA air traffic control issue.
Despite his absence, DiCaprio accepted the award via a pre-recorded video introduced by his co-stars Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti.
“I wish I was there to celebrate with all of you,” DiCaprio said, using the moment to champion the theatrical experience. “Movies are still meant to be experienced together, in a theater… not content, but cinema.”
The star-studded gala went on as planned, honoring talents including Timothée Chalamet, Rose Byrne, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Hudson, Ethan Hawke, Adam Sandler and Elle Fanning.
During the ceremony, Hawke presented Amanda Seyfried with her own Desert Palm Achievement Award for The Testament of Ann Lee. In her speech, Seyfried gave a heartfelt nod to DiCaprio, calling him an inspiration and joking about “sharing” the same honor.
Even from afar, DiCaprio’s presence — and passion for cinema — remained a defining part of the night.
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