Tom Cruise Wins First Oscar, Reflects on Lifelong Love of Cinema

In a significant milestone for his illustrious career, acclaimed actor Tom Cruise was awarded an honorary Oscar on November 17, 2025, at the Governors Awards. The Mission Impossible star, who is now 63 years old, accepted the prestigious accolade with a heartfelt speech that paid tribute to his enduring love for the art of filmmaking.

Cruise's Oscar was presented by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who is currently directing the actor in an upcoming project set for release next October. This marks Cruise's first Oscar win, although he had been previously nominated four times, including for his performances in Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire.

During his acceptance speech, Cruise spoke passionately about the transformative power of cinema, recalling how as a child, the "beam of light" cutting across a darkened theater sparked his imagination and desire to explore the world. He emphasized cinema's ability to bring people together, saying, "In that theater, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, and that is the power of this art form."

Cruise also expressed his commitment to supporting and championing new voices in the industry, stating, "I will do everything I can for this art form, to support and champion new voices, to protect what makes cinema powerful." He concluded his remarks by joking about his penchant for performing his own stunts, saying he would try to avoid "too many more broken bones" in the pursuit of his craft.

The honorary Oscar comes as Cruise recently released what was supposedly the final installment in the Mission Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. Earlier this year, he also received the BFI Fellowship, the highest honor from the British Film Institute, during an event titled "Tom Cruise in Conversation." During that event, Cruise hinted at his desire to explore new genres, including musicals, dramas, and adventures, as he continues his illustrious career.