Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, who received the Honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards on Sunday, paid tribute to those who make films possible, highlighted the unifying power of cinema during his acceptance speech.
On Sunday, Cruise received the award from filmmaker Alejandro Inarritu, who has worked with him on a yet-to-be-titled film, reportedly set to release in October 2026.
While introducing Cruise, Inarritu said, “How does a person summarise the 45-year career of Tom Cruise in a four-minute speech? Mission impossible.”
The Birdman director also said, “It is not how far he runs or how high he jumps. It's how precisely he decides to move, those tiny calibrations.”
The Academy first announced the honorees in June, with Academy president Janet Yang acknowledging that the recipients’ careers have had a “lasting impact” on the film community.
“Suddenly the world was so much larger than the one that I knew,” Cruise said in front of a crowd of Hollywood dignitaries, including Steven Spielberg, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
“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 theatre, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, and that is the power of this art form. 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.”
“I will always do everything I can to support this art form and to champion new voices, to protect what makes cinema powerful, hopefully without too many more broken bones,” the Mission Impossible actor said.
Cruise fractured his ankle while filming a stunt scene in 2017.
Cruise shot to fame for his roles in Jerry Maguire, Magnolia, Born on the Fourth of July, Rain Man, A Few Good Men, Minority Report, Collateral, and Top Gun: Maverick. These roles showcase his range across different genres, from romantic comedies and dramas to action blockbusters.
Apart from Cruise, Debbie Allen, Dolly Parton, and production designer Wynn Thomas received their Honorary Awards at the 2025 Governors Awards on Sunday.