Tom Cruise Finally Recieves Long-Overdue Honorary Oscar, Delievers An Emotional Speech, 'Who I Am..'

Tom Cruise received one of the highest accolades presented by the Academy Awards on November 16, 2025 (ET). The actor, who has given his all to the film industry for decades, was finally presented with the honour that everyone believed was long overdue. Tom has been in the industry for over four decades, and on the night of November 16, 2025, he finally reaped the fruit of his years of devotion. The actor received the Academy Honorary Award at the Governors Awards, and while the moment itself was touching enough, his speech brought everyone to tears. 

Tom Cruise finally recieves the Academy Honorary Award

Tom Cruise finally received the Academy Honorary Award from filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who is currently directing the actor in an upcoming project. Slated for release in October 2026, the film's title remains under wraps. Their collaboration added an additional layer of significance to the presentation.

However, it wasn't the award itself that moved everyone present in that room; it was Tom's acceptance speech that stirred something in everyone's soul. During his heartfelt acknowledgement of the award, Tom reflected on the people who have been involved in bringing stories to the screen. He stated:

"The cinema 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 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."

Tom Cruise reflects on finding his passion for acting and cinema

In the same speech, Tom Cruise reflected on his love for cinema. He recalled discovering his passion for movies very early in his life. He revealed that he was just a little kid when the darkened theatre ignited a fire in him that has burned for decades now. Tom shared that he remembers the beam of light cutting across the room. He stated:

"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."

Tom Cruise's journey in the entertainment world has truly been commendable. He recalled that, in that dark theatre, the light bursting on the screen suddenly made the world so much larger than the one he knew, and he saw several cultures, lives, and landscapes unfold before him, and it sparked something. He added:

"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."

More about the Governors Awards

The Governors Awards also acknowledged Tom Cruise's longstanding presence at the Oscars. The actor has earned four nominations, including best actor nods for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, a supporting actor nomination for Magnolia, and a best picture nomination as a producer of Top Gun: Maverick. Apart from Tom, the award ceremony also celebrated Debbie Allen with an honorary Oscar for her contributions to choreography and entertainment. 

Production designer, Wynn Thomas also received recognition for his extensive body of work. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award went to Dolly Parton, who appeared via a pre-recorded message due to health-related absences. The event was star-studded with Jennifer Lawrence, Michael B. Jordan, Sydney Sweeney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dwayne Johnson and Emma Stone marking their presence on the red carpet.

Team BollywoodShaadis extends our heartiest congratulations to Tom Cruise for receiving the Academy Honorary Award.

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