Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - US actor and producer, Tom Cruise finally received his first-ever golden statue, an Honorary Academy Award—on Sunday evening, November 16, earning a standing ovation from Hollywood's elite.
Cruise, 63, took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los
Angeles to the iconic sound of the “Mission Impossible” theme tune, a hallmark
of his decades-long career. Peers including Colin Farrell, Emilio Estevez, and
renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg (who directed him in Minority Report and
War of the Worlds) were among those applauding the recognition.
Despite being a four-time Oscar nominee during his career,
Cruise had never won a competitive award. In his heartfelt acceptance speech,
he spoke passionately about his love for the big screen, praising cinema as a
place that sparks “a hunger for adventure, a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to
understand humanity, to create characters, to tell a story, to see the world.”
The Honorary Oscars, formally presented at the annual
Governors Awards by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are
designed to celebrate cinema legends for their body of work and profound
contributions to the film industry.
Cruise’s award was presented by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro
Gonzalez Inarritu, who recently directed him in the upcoming film Judy.
Inarritu paid tribute to the actor’s extensive filmography:
“Writing a four-minute speech to celebrate Tom Cruise’s 45-year career is what
is known, in this town, as a mission impossible,” he joked. “Tonight, we
celebrate. We celebrate not just a filmography, we celebrate a lifetime of
work.”
Inarritu also offered a humorous anecdote, noting that while
working with Cruise, he witnessed the actor perform what he called his most
dangerous stunt yet: “This man ate more chili than any Mexican.”
Other figures honored with Honorary Oscars that evening
included actor Debbie Allen (Fame), production designer Wynn Thomas, and
country singer Dolly Parton, who was honored specifically for her dedicated
humanitarian work.
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