Tom Cruise will finally receive an Honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards for his outstanding contribution to cinema.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will give an Honorary Oscar to Hollywood action icon Tom Cruise, who is 62 years old. This award will be presented at the Governors Awards on November 16, 2025, in Los Angeles.
An Honorary Oscar differs from what is presented at the Oscars that have been televised. An Honorary Oscar is an award a person receives for career achievements, extraordinary accomplishments in film, and sometimes for special achievements in the film industry.
Tom Cruise has never won a competitive Oscar, yet he has been nominated four times: three for acting and one as a producer.
The Academy lauded Tom Cruise for his longevity and positive effects on cinema, along with his strong advocacy of movies in theaters and his well-known propensity for literally doing his dangerous stunts.
He has appeared in many record-setting films such as Mission: Impossible, Top Gun, Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia.
He is famously known for completing his stunts, including jumping from airplanes, climbing tall buildings, and parachute drops. In the current Mission: Impossible, he holds a Guinness World Record for 16 burning parachute jumps.
The president of the Academy, Janet Yang, said Cruise’s example has “inspired us all.”
Cruise’s initial Oscar nomination occurred in 1990 for Born on the Fourth of July (Best Actor). He would eventually lose to Daniel Day-Lewis.
His next two acting nominations were in 1997 (Jerry Maguire) and in 2000 (Magnolia), where he also did not win. He also received a nomination as a producer in 2023 when Top Gun: Maverick was a finalist for Best Picture.
The Honorary Oscar honors not just one role or film, but an entire lifetime of achievement. Cruise has made more than 50 films, and his films have grossed over $13 billion worldwide.
He has earned respect from fans and his peers for his fearless approach to stunts. Many stunt professionals support the notion of giving him some public acknowledgement.
The Academy has announced a new category for Best Stunt Design starting in 2028, which many fans speculate may have been inspired by stars like Cruise.
In November, the Governors Awards take place privately, not within the main Oscars broadcast there are the honorary statue awards given to Tom Cruise, Debbie Allen, and Wynn Thomas. Dorothy Parton will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to honor her charitable work.
Tom Cruise is one of the world’s most well-known successful film stars. He’s even called “President of Movies” for his commitment to keeping film alive. The Honorary Oscar is finally giving him official recognition from the Academy on a stage that many say he’s deserving of after such a long and lively career.
Tom Cruise is having a wonderful moment in his career. After decades of amazing performances and incredible stunts, he will finally receive an authentic Oscar, an Honorary Oscar that acknowledges his lasting impact in cinema.
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