Tom Cruise has finally received his first Oscar after 44 years of memorable performances in the film industry.
The celebrated action star was honored with an Academy Honorary Award during the Governors Awards ceremony held in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 16.
While Cruise had been nominated for an Oscar four times over the span of 33 years, he had yet to secure a win until now.
His nominations include Best Actor for Born on the Fourth of July in 1989 and Jerry Maguire in 1996, Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia in 1999, and Best Picture as a producer for Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.
The Hollywood icon, renowned for executing his own stunts, expressed sincere gratitude in his acceptance speech for the Honorary Award.
“The cinema, it takes me around the world. It helps me to appreciate and respect differences. It shows me also our shared humanity, how alike we are in so, so many ways.
“And no matter where we come from, in that theater, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, and that is the power of this art form,” he continued.
“And that is why it matters, that is why it matters to me. So making films is not what I do, it is who I am.”
If you’re curious about the nature of an Honorary Oscar and why it’s awarded in November, it’s worth noting that these awards have been a tradition since the Academy Awards began in 1929.
Since 2009, they have been presented at the Governors Awards in a separate ceremony to acknowledge a broader range of talents without the time constraints of the Oscars broadcast.
The awards are determined by the Academy’s governors each spring, which is why they carry the Governors Awards name. Up to four can be given out in any year.
The Honorary Oscars are presented for ‘extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement in cinema and exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences’.
The Academy considers these awards to be among the most prestigious in the worldwide film industry.
Past recipients include luminaries such as Charles Chaplin, Walt Disney, Cary Grant, and Dustin Hoffman.
Angela Bassett was the most recent actor to receive this honor before Cruise, in 2024.
The Academy recognized Cruise for his ‘incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community’.
Also recognized at the Governors Awards were actor and choreographer Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas, both receiving Honorary Awards.
Additionally, country music legend Dolly Parton was honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her efforts promoting human welfare and addressing inequities.
She accepted her award through a pre-recorded message.