Leonardo DiCaprio Grounded by Venezuela-Linked Air Chaos, Misses Film Gala

DiCaprio was scheduled to be honoured with the prestigious Desert Palm Achievement Award for his performance in 'One Battle After Another'. However, as reported by Variety, the Oscar-winning actor was unable to depart from St. Barts, where he was vacationing with family and friends, due to disruptions in air travel following recent international developments that have impacted flight operations.

In an official statement, a spokesperson for the Palm Springs International Film Festival confirmed DiCaprio's absence from the gala, citing unforeseen travel complications.

"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.

Further details on the travel disruptions were shared by Palm Springs International Airport, which issued a statement on social media platform X announcing that departing flights were under a ground stop.

According to the statement, "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," as quoted by Variety.

The situation coincided with a major geopolitical development earlier on Saturday, when United States President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been taken into US custody.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the operation was conducted in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.

Despite his absence from the Palm Springs gala, DiCaprio remains a prominent figure in the ongoing awards season. His latest film, 'One Battle After Another', directed by acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, has emerged as a strong early frontrunner, having won the Best Picture award from the National Society of Film Critics on Saturday. DiCaprio's performance in the film has also earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the upcoming Critics' Choice Awards.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala is set to proceed as scheduled and will honour several other high-profile figures from the film industry. According to Variety, this year's list of honourees includes Timothee Chalamet, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Michael B. Jordan, Ethan Hawke, Adam Sandler, Chloe Zhao, Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Guillermo del Toro and Oscar Isaac, among others.

- ANI