Tom Cruise will receive an honorary Oscar, ahead of a 2026 movie for which he already has hopes of another acting nomination. Over his career, Cruise has received four Oscar nominations for his performances in Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, Magnolia, and a Best Picture nod for producing Top Gun: Maverick. However, he has never won one of the industry’s most prestigious awards. In recent years, Cruise has become known for performing incredible stunts in Mission: Impossible, though the Oscars won’t be adding a stunt category until 2028.

Now, Cruise will be receiving his very first Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Cruise will be the recipient of an honorary Oscar later this year. The award will be presented at the Academy’s Governors Awards event on Sunday, November 16 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood. Academy President Janet Yang shared the following quote about Cruise:

Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all.

Additionally, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award will be presented to Dolly Parton, as well as honorary Oscars for choreographer and actor Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas. Yang said the following:

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. The Academy’s Board of Governors is honored to recognize these brilliant artists. Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres. Beloved performer Dolly Parton exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts. And production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.

What Tom Cruise’s Honorary Oscar Means For The Actor

He Already Has Hopes Of An Acting Nomination For His 2026 Movie

Tom Cruise will receive an honorary Oscar this coming November, ahead of his 2026 movie, for which he already has hopes of another acting nomination, and possibly winning for the first time. Cruise has teamed up with writer-director Alejandro González Iñárritu for an unтιтled movie, which has been described as a comedy and is tentatively тιтled Judy. Nevertheless, with an awards-friendly release date in October 2026, the film should firmly place Cruise in the awards race.

Iñárritu’s two previous English-language movies, Birdman and The Revenant, scored big nominations and won several Oscars. He won Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for Birdman and Best Director for both. Actors in those two films also fared very well, with Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, and Emma Stone all receiving nominations for Birdman. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy were both nominated for The Revenant, with the former famously winning his first Oscar. It’s possible that Iñárritu’s new movie could do the same for Cruise.

Our Take On Tom Cruise Receiving An Honorary Oscar

No One Is More Deserving

According to the Academy, honorary Oscars are given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy.” In that case, no one is more deserving than Cruise. He’s one of the most successful and highest-grossing actors of all time, who has been a pᴀssionate supporter of the theater experience and played a key role in guiding the industry through the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cruise is known for his dedication to his craft, often performing his own stunts in Mission: Impossible, and his extensive filmography also features several Oscar-nominated performances. While it might have been better to see Cruise actually win his first Oscar, rather than receiving an honorary one, there is truly no one more deserving of the award.

Source: Oscars