Los Angeles — Tom Cruise has finally won an Oscar. The global movie star accepted his first-ever Oscar statuette on Sunday, November 16, 2025, receiving the Academy Honorary Award at the 16th annual Governors Awards. The 63-year-old actor's long-awaited Oscar win celebrates his extraordinary lifetime of achievement in film.
The award was presented by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu who is directing Cruise in an upcoming 2026 film and recognizes the star's "extraordinary career and commitment to the filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community."
An Emotional Tribute to the Power of Cinema
Known for his composed on-screen persona, Cruise gave a heartfelt and emotional acceptance speech that underscored his deep passion for the art form.
"Making Films is Who I Am"
The actor reflected on his four-decade career, telling the room filled with A-list talent, "Making films is not what I do, it is who I am." He recounted his lifelong connection to the medium, recalling a vivid childhood memory that sparked his ambition:
"I was just a little kid in a darkened theater, and I remember that beam of light just cut across the room... suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I knew. And entire cultures and lives and landscapes all unfolded in front of me, and it sparked... a hunger for adventure, a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to understand humanity."
The Unifying Power of the Theater
A vocal champion of the theatrical experience, Cruise focused his thanks on the shared humanity found in a darkened cinema:
"The cinema, it takes me around the world. It helps me to appreciate and respect differences. It also shows me 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 concluded his address with a promise to his peers and the industry, saying he would "always do everything I can for this art form to support and champion new voices and to protect what makes cinema powerful."
A Career of Competitive Oscar Nominations
While this is Tom Cruise's first Oscar win, his career has been marked by critical acclaim, including four competitive Oscar nominations from the Academy:
- 1990: Best Actor for Born on the Fourth of July
- 1997: Best Actor for Jerry Maguire
- 2000: Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia
- 2023: Best Picture (as Producer) for Top Gun: Maverick
Other 2025 Governors Awards Honorees
The ceremony also celebrated several other distinguished figures in the film industry:
- Academy Honorary Award recipient Debbie Allen: The trailblazing choreographer, actor, and producer, recognized for her cross-genre impact.
- Academy Honorary Award recipient Wynn Thomas: The pioneering production designer, known for his visionary work on films like Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X.
- Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award recipient Dolly Parton: Honored for her extensive philanthropic work, including the Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library. Parton accepted her award via a pre-recorded message.
The event, which serves as an early kick-off to the main Academy Awards season, featured a red carpet full of Hollywood's biggest names who turned out to honor the recipients.
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