A theater packed with movie stars rose to offer a lengthy standing ovation for Tom Cruise on Sunday night, as he claimed his first golden Oscar statuette — an honorary award recognizing his contributions to filmmaking.
Cruise sent the crowd to their feet a second time with an emotional acceptance speech, paying tribute to the army of people who make his films possible.
The honorary Oscar was presented by filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who is currently directly Cruise in a not-yet-titled movie set to release next October. Iñárritu noted that while this is the “Mission: Impossible” actor’s first Oscar, he is certain it “will not be his last.”
Cruise briefly praised Iñárritu’s work and took about five minutes celebrating his fellow honorees — production designer Wynn Thomas and choreographer Debbie Allen — before launching into his acceptance speech.
“The cinema, it takes me around the world,” Cruise said. “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 added, “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.”
Up to four honorary Oscars are given at the annual Governors Awards, an event presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the film industry. It is held separately from the annual Academy Awards ceremony and is not televised live.
In his 45-year career, Cruise has been nominated for four Oscars — best actor in “Born on the Fourth of July,” best actor in “Jerry Maguire,” best supporting actor in “Magnolia” and for his role as a producer, a best picture nomination for “Top Gun: Maverick.”
During his acceptance speech, Cruise also highlighted the dawn of his passion for filmmaking.
“My love for cinema began at a very early age, as early as I can remember,” the actor said. “I was just a little kid in a darkened theater, and I remember that beam of light just cut across the room, and I remember looking up, and it seemed to be just exploded on the screen. Suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I knew.”
He continued, “Entire cultures and lives and landscapes all unfolded in front of me, and it sparked something. It sparked a hunger for adventure, a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to understand humanity, to create characters, to tell a story, to see the world. It opened my eyes. It opened my imagination to the possibility that life could expand far beyond the boundaries that I then perceived in my own life. And that beam of light opened a desire to open the world, and I have been following it ever since.”
Earlier in the night, Cynthia Erivo presented an honorary Oscar to “Fame” choreographer Debbie Allen. Production designer Wynn Thomas earned an Oscar celebrating his lifetime of work. And Dolly Parton was honored at the event with The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, but the country musician accepted the award in a prerecorded message, due to ongoing health challenges.
Cruise was announced as a recipient for an honorary Oscar in June. At the time of the announcement, Academy President Janet Yang praised Cruise as “one of the most recognized and highest-grossing actors of all time,” per People.
She added, “Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all.”
The 2026 Academy Award ceremony will air on March 15, 2026. Conan O’Brien will return to host for his second consecutive year.