Tom Cruise finally gets an (honorary) Oscar, promises to "do everything I can for this art form" but "hopefully without too many more broken bones"

Despite four nominations over his 40-year career, Tom Cruise has never won an Oscar – until now. Well, sort of.

The actor received an honorary Academy Award at the Governors Awards. The ceremony has been held annually since 2009 to honor lifetime achievement awards in the movie industry. Previous recipients of Academy Honorary Awards include Lauren Bacall, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin, Hayao Miyazaki, Spike Lee, and Jackie Chan.

Cruise's award was introduced by The Revenant director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who said, "Tom Cruise doesn’t just make movies. He is movies." He was honored alongside actor Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas.

"I want you to know that I will do everything I can for this art form, to support and champion new voices, to protect what makes cinema powerful," Cruise said during his acceptance speech. "Hopefully without too many more broken bones."

As well as leading the Mission: Impossible series, Cruise's four-decade career has included starring in movies like Top Gun, The Color of Money, Interview With the Vampire, Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, and Edge of Tomorrow, working with directors like Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese. He received his Oscar nominations for his performances in Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, and for producing Top Gun: Maverick.

Next up for Cruise is a new, currently untitled movie from Iñárritu, which also features an ensemble cast including Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, and Emma D'Arcy.

Cruise's next movie arrives in theaters on October 2, 2026. While we wait, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the other biggest upcoming movies.