Palm Springs, CA
The Palm Springs International Film Awards announced that Leonardo DiCaprio will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor, recognizing his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming film One Battle After Another. The award will be presented during the Film Awards ceremony on January 3, 2026, at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The festival runs January 2–12, 2026, and is presented by Kering with sponsorship from Entertainment Tonight.
Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi praised DiCaprio’s latest work, noting the emotional intensity of his portrayal. “In One Battle After Another, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a riveting and emotionally charged performance, embodying a man pushed to his breaking point in the face of relentless adversity,” he said. “Across his career, DiCaprio has continually redefined what is possible in screen acting. It is our honor to present him with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor.”
DiCaprio is already a familiar name in Palm Springs. The acclaimed actor owns a home in the city’s Old Las Palmas neighborhood — the mid-century modern estate once owned by legendary entertainer Dinah Shore. The property is a widely recognized celebrity residence and is associated with the region’s Hollywood-to-desert history.
This year’s festival honorees also include Michael B. Jordan (Icon Award), Adam Sandler (Chairman’s Award), and Sentimental Value cast members Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning (International Star Award).
The Desert Palm Achievement Award has a notable history of recognizing actors who later earn Oscar wins or nominations. Past recipients include Riz Ahmed, Jeff Bridges, Adrien Brody, Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day-Lewis, Adam Driver, Colin Farrell, Colin Firth, Andrew Garfield, Matthew McConaughey, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, and Eddie Redmayne.
One Battle After Another, written and directed by Anderson, follows Bob (DiCaprio), a former revolutionary living off the grid with his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti). When a long-time nemesis (Sean Penn) resurfaces and Willa goes missing, Bob is forced to confront the consequences of his past in a tense search for redemption.
DiCaprio, an Academy Award-winning actor, has earned acclaim across more than three decades of work in films such as The Revenant, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Wolf of Wall Street, Inception, and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. His ongoing collaboration with director Martin Scorsese has produced The Aviator, The Departed, Gangs of New York, and Killers of the Flower Moon.
Outside of acting, DiCaprio co-founded Appian Way, the production company behind numerous acclaimed films and documentaries focused on environmental issues. He also serves as a founding board member of Re:wild, an organization focused on global conservation and biodiversity restoration.
DiCaprio’s honor marks a headline moment for the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival, one of the premier events of the awards season and a signature celebration of cinema in the Coachella Valley.