Tom Cruise was presented with an honorary Academy Award at the Governors Awards on November 16th, and it’s no surprise that the great movie star gave a blockbuster acceptance speech.
The award was presented by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who is directing Cruise in the as-yet-untitled film, scheduled for release in October 2026.
Upon accepting the award, Cruise gave a moving speech in which he paid tribute to all the people who make movies possible and to the collective strength of cinema.
“Movies take me all over the world,” Cruise said. “It helps us recognize and respect our differences. It shows us our common humanity, how similar we are in so many ways. And no matter where we come from, in that theater we laugh together, feel together, hope together. That’s the power of this art. That’s why it’s important and that’s important to me. That’s why making movies is not my job, it’s who I am.”
Cruise also talked about the origins of his movie fandom.
“My love for movies started at a very young age, ever since I can remember,” he said. “I remember being in a dark theater when I was still a kid and that beam of light just crossed the room, and I looked up and it seemed like it exploded on the screen. Suddenly the world became so much bigger than the world I knew. And whole cultures, lives, landscapes all unfolded before my eyes, and that sparked something: a thirst for adventure, for knowledge. It sparked a hunger for understanding humanity, for creating characters, for telling stories, for seeing the world. It opened my eyes and expanded my imagination to the possibility that life could extend far beyond the limits I had recognized in my own life. And that ray of light opened up a desire to open up the world, and I’ve been pursuing it ever since.”
Cruise has previously been nominated for four Oscars, winning Best Actor for Independence Day and Jerry Maguire, Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia, and Best Picture for his role as the producer in Top Gun: Maverick.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Cynthia Erivo presented choreographer Debbie Allen with an honorary Oscar. Production designer Wynne Thomas was also presented with a statue celebrating his life’s work. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was presented to Dolly Parton, but she was unable to attend the show in person due to health concerns and sent a prerecorded speech.
The Governors Awards red carpet was packed with actors eager to get into this year’s awards race, including Jennifer Lawrence, Michael B. Jordan, Sidney Sweeney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dwayne Johnson, and Emma Stone.
Watch part of Mr. Cruz’s speech below.
