American actor and producer Tom Cruise has been awarded an Honorary Oscar for his significant contribution to the art of cinema, Variety reports.

The statuette was presented to him by acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu during the Governors Awards ceremony. Accepting his first-ever Academy Award, Cruise delivered an emotional speech about the profound impact film has had on his life.

 

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He recalled that his love for cinema began in childhood:

«My love for movies began at a very early age. I was just a small child in a dark movie theater, and I remember the beam of light cutting through the room; I remember looking up as it seemed to explode onto the screen. Suddenly, the world became so much bigger. Entire cultures, lives, and landscapes unfolded before me, and something awakened inside me. Cinema sparked in me a thirst for adventure, a thirst for knowledge, a desire to understand humanity, to create characters, to tell stories, to see the world. It opened my eyes. Filmmaking is not my job — it’s who I am,» Cruise said.

The actor has been nominated for an Oscar four times: for his roles in Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, as well as for producing Top Gun: Maverick.

 

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This year, along with Cruise, the Academy also honored choreographer Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas with honorary awards. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was presented to Dolly Parton, who was unable to attend due to health issues.

Tom Cruise will finally be honored with an Oscar – this year, the actor will receive his first statuette.

The Hollywood star had been nominated three times before, but the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has now decided to honor the 62-year-old Cruise for his contribution to the film industry, to which he has dedicated over 40 years of his life, as well as for his work as a stunt performer, reports Variety.

«Tom Cruise, with his incredible dedication to cinema, his support of movie theaters and the stunt community, inspires us all. He has become a tireless advocate for the theatrical experience, especially supporting the industry during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is deeply committed to his craft, performing all his stunts himself», reads the Academy’s statement.

Alongside Tom Cruise, singer Dolly Parton, choreographer Debbie Allen, and production designer Wynn Thomas will also be honored with statuettes.

The awards ceremony will take place on November 16 in Los Angeles.

Photo: Instagram @tomcruise