Tom Cruise to receive honorary Oscar after being hailed for ‘saving Hollywood’s a**’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tom Cruise will reportedly be honored with an Academy Honorary Award at the 2025 Governors Awards in November.
The A-list actor has been selected alongside Debbie Allen and Wynn Thomas, as reported by PEOPLE.
Besides, Dolly Parton will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.
Tom Cruise gets recognition for helping Hollywood through difficult times
A press release by the Oscars stated, “One of the most recognized and highest-grossing actors of all time, Cruise has been a committed advocate of the theatrical experience, and he helped to usher the industry through a challenging time during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Also, the outgoing Academy Awards president, Janet Yang, praised the announced recipients.
She stated, “This year’s Governors Awards will celebrate four legendary individuals whose extraordinary careers and commitment to our filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact.”
Janet Yang praises Tom Cruise for his ‘incredible commitment to filmmaking community’
Janet Yang's statement further read, “Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres. Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunt community has inspired us all.”
Calling Parton, “beloved performer” who “exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts,” Yang then added that “production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.”
The honor for Cruise comes after he was nominated for Oscars four times in his career. Two nominations he received were for lead actor in the movies ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ and ‘Jerry Maguire’.
The other two nominations were for supporting actor in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Magnolia’, and one for as a producer of the 2022 Best Picture ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.
Steven Spielberg thanks Tom Cruise for not releasing ‘Top Gun Maverick’ on streaming sites
Once, Tom Cruise was thanked by Steven Spielberg for “saving Hollywood’s a**,” as reported by Consequence Film.
During the 2023 annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon, the filmmaker congratulated the 62-year-old for receiving the 2023 David O Selznick Achievement Award from the Producers Guild.
Spielberg then told him, “But you know, you saved Hollywood’s a**. And you might have saved theatrical distribution. Seriously. Maverick might have saved theatrical distribution.”
The 78-year-old was reportedly referring to Cruise’s insistence on not releasing the film until Covid-19 had faded away so that people could watch it in theaters.
His decision was a success as the movie went on to become Cruise’s highest-grossing ever.
