Tom Cruise, often dubbed “Mr. Movies” for his dedication to both death-defying stunts and preserving the theatrical experience, has finally claimed his first Academy Award, per movieweb.com. Despite multiple previous nominations, the actor had never taken home the coveted statuette—until now.
Filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, who is currently directing Cruise in an untitled black comedy set for release next year, took the stage to present the actor with an Honorary Oscar.
“Tom Cruise doesn’t just make movies, he is movies,” Iñárritu declared. “This may be his first Oscar, but from what I have seen and experienced, it will not be his last.”
Cruise was met with a massive standing ovation, set appropriately to the iconic Mission: Impossible theme, as he joined the director on stage.
Once the applause subsided, Cruise delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech, focusing on the unifying power of cinema. He revealed how his career had allowed him to travel the world and “appreciate and respect differences.”
“The cinema, it takes me around the world. It helps me to appreciate and respect differences,” Cruise said. “It shows me also 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.”
Cruise reflected on the origin of his passion, tracing it back to his childhood: “My love for cinema began at a very early age… I remember that beam of light just cut across the room, and I remember looking up, and it seemed to just explode on the screen. Suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I knew.”
He described the “beam of light” as sparking “a hunger for adventure, a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to understand humanity… and to see the world,” a path he has been following ever since.
Cruise was honoured at the event alongside production designer Wynn Thomas and actress Debbie Allen. Country music legend Dolly Parton was also honoured but appeared via a pre-recorded speech due to health concerns.
•Featured image by Paramount Pictures
