As the 2026 awards season reaches a fever pitch, the spotlight has shifted from established veterans to a fresh face that even Leonardo DiCaprio admits he’s in awe of. DiCaprio took a moment during the press circuit to champion his co-star, Chase Infiniti, whose film debut in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another has been nothing short of a revelation.
Despite the film’s massive ensemble cast—including Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and Teyana Taylor—it is the young newcomer Infiniti who has captured the heart of DiCaprio.
DiCaprio’s Heartfelt Tribute
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Speaking with the Associated Press following the announcement of the 98th Academy Award nominations, DiCaprio was candid about the monumental effort Infiniti put into her role as Willa. Refuting any narrative that she was just a “supporting” player, DiCaprio insisted she was the very foundation of the project:
“She was the fabric of this movie. She was the heart and soul. There would be no ‘One Battle After Another’ without the performance that she gave… A young actress coming in to fill a role that was her first film and carrying the entire emotional weight of this movie was a near-impossible task. She should be so proud of herself and we’re all so proud of her.”
The veteran actor, who earned his eighth Oscar nomination for his role as “Bob” in the film, expressed particular disappointment over Infiniti’s narrow miss for a Best Actress nomination, calling her performance the “main force” that held the sprawling, chaotic story together.
However, No Oscar Nomination
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While the Oscars snubbed Infiniti in the Lead Actress category, the rest of the industry has been far more observant. Chase Infiniti has already secured:
- National Board of Review: Breakthrough Performance (Winner)
- Chicago Film Critics Association: Most Promising Performer (Winner)
- Critics’ Choice Movie Awards: Best Actress (Nominee)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Nominee)
The film itself has become a juggernaut, leading the 2026 Academy Award field with 13 nominations (Sinners has 16), including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for DiCaprio. Many insiders believe the film’s “Ensemble” wins at earlier ceremonies like the Astra Film Awards and the St. Louis Film Critics Association were largely due to the “electric” chemistry between DiCaprio and his protege.
