Tom Cruise Is Finally Getting an Oscar (Sort Of)

Tom Cruise is finally getting an Oscar, but it won’t be for Best Actor or for Best Picture. Tom Cruise has been hailed as the last movie star as he’s a name that can get butts in seats and has a bit of mysticism around him. Despite Tom Cruise’s personal life being highly documented in the 2000s, that has changed a lot in the last 10 years or so. The lack of Cruise in the media makes him a more compelling figure in a world where we are always seeing celebrities on social media. With that said, Cruise has also been praised as one of the best action stars in the world with some believing he deserves an Oscar.

Of course, action movie stars rarely, if ever, get Oscars. That’s not to say there have never been actors who have gotten an Oscar for a big blockbuster movie, as Heath Ledger famously scored a posthumous award for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight, but rarely do they come for something like Mission: Impossible. Tom Cruise, however, has had a pretty prolific career outside of his action movies. He has been nominated for an Oscar as an actor three times for Born on the 4th of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, three of his most acclaimed films. He was also nominated as producer for Top Gun: Maverick when it was nominated for Best Picture. Still, he’s never won the golden statue.

Tom Cruise Is Finally Getting an Oscar

Recently, it was also announced that the Oscars would add a stunt category to honor the hard work of stunt teams. Unfortunately for Tom Cruise, who is known for pulling off some of the most absurd stunts out there, the category won’t be introduced until 2027, one Oscars ceremony after the eligibility for his last go at the Mission: Impossible series. However, the Oscars seems to recognize that Cruise is still worth honoring for his achievements up to this point. The Academy has announced that Tom Cruise will get an honorary Oscar at this year’s Governors Awards in November. The Academy will also give Dolly Parton, Wynn Thomas, and Debbie Allen honorary Oscars as well during this event.

“This year’s Governors Awards will celebrate four legendary individuals whose extraordinary careers and commitment to our filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact,” said Janet Yang, Academy President. “The Academy’s Board of Governors is honored to recognize these brilliant artists. Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres. Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all. Beloved performer Dolly Parton exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts. And production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.”

There’s still a chance Tom Cruise could get a competitive Oscar in the future. While Tom Cruise has plans to do Top Gun 3, Days of Thunder 2, and a bunch of other blockbuster sequels that may not be typical Oscar movies, he appears to be taking on other roles with Oscar-winning directors like Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Cruise’s former co-star Paul Newman was also once the recipient of an honorary Oscar and then won Best Actor the following year for The Color of Money.

Are you glad to see Tom Cruise finally get some recognition? Let me know in the comments.