Khaberni - International star Tom Cruise received the Honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards ceremony held last Sunday, delivering a moving speech in which he celebrated the magic of cinema and its powerful impact, affirming that filmmaking is not just a profession to him but "a complete identity that forms his existence."
The award was presented to the veteran actor by Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, who is currently directing a new film featuring Cruise, not yet named, set to be released in October 2026.
Cruise delivered a moving speech in which he saluted filmmakers around the world, emphasizing the ability of the seventh art to bring people together despite their differences.
In his speech he said that cinema "carries him around the world, teaches him to respect diversity, and shows him the common humanity that unites people no matter how different their cultures are," adding, "In the theater, we laugh together, feel together, hope together... and this is the power of this art, which is why it is so important to me, for filmmaking is not what I do, but who I am."
Cruise recalled his early fascination with cinema, saying that his passion began in childhood when he saw the first beam of light piercing the theater, and said: "Suddenly, life seemed much broader than I imagined... Cultures, faces, adventures, and dreams opened up before me, igniting inside me a desire to know, explore the world, create characters and tell stories."
Tom Cruise has a rich history with the Oscars, having been nominated four times: twice as Best Actor for the films Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, once as Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia, and also nominated for Best Picture as a producer for Top Gun: Maverick.
The ceremony also honored costume designer Debbie Allen with an Honorary Oscar presented by Cynthia Erivo, while production designer Wynn Thomas received a special award for his extended career. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was given to legendary singer Dolly Parton, who apologized for not attending due to health reasons and made do with a recorded statement.
The red carpet for the event attracted dozens of stars, including Jennifer Lawrence, Michael B. Jordan, Sydney Sweeney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dwayne Johnson, Emma Stone, and other luminaries.
