Tom Cruise finally gets his Oscar

“Making films isn’t what I do, it’s who I am,” said Tom Cruisethe veteran actor/producer and accomplished movie star, as he accepted an honorary Oscar, in recognition of his body of work, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 16th Governors Awards on Sunday evening. Cruise was one of four film artists celebrated at this year’s ceremony, the seventh produced by Jennifer Foxwhich took place at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood.

Decorator Wynn Thomas and actress/producer/choreographer Debbie Allen also received honorary Oscars, while actress/singer/songwriter Dolly Parton received – in absentia – the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Prize in recognition of his philanthropic work.

As always, the Governors Awards ceremony took place in front of dozens of current Oscar nominees. In addition to supporting the winners of the ceremony, they come to see and be seen by the many members of the Academy present in the room and who follow them on social networks. Among the participants this year: Die my loveIt is Jennifer Laurent, One battle after anotherIt is Leonardo Di Caprio, Villain: for goodIt is Ariana Grande, FrankensteinIt is Jacob Elord, ChristieIt is Sydney Sweeney, The secret agentIt is Wagner Moura, HamnetIt is Jessie Buckley, Jay KellyIt is Adam Sandler, HeddaIt is Tessa Thompson, Sentimental valueIt is Stellan Skarsgard And Weapons‘ Amy Madigan. (See photos from the red carpet here.)

Although the black-tie affair was a long event at the end of an exhausting weekend in Hollywood, most of this year’s attendees stayed until the end, as Cruise’s Oscar was saved for last. Alejandro González Iñárrituthe Mexican filmmaker who directed Cruise in a film yet to be released in 2026, delivered a powerful tribute in which he said: “Tom Cruise doesn’t just make movies, he East films,” and added, “This may be his first Oscar, but from what I’ve seen and experienced, it won’t be his last. » Then, after a lengthy montage of Cruise’s work over the past 45 years, the 63-year-old, who has been nominated for an Oscar three times for his acting and once for his production, took to the podium as Mission: Impossible The theme music sounded and was greeted with a long standing ovation.

Cruise thanked “the studios, the agencies, the artists and the storytellers,” as well as the stunt teams, theater owners and, above all, the audiences, about whom he said, “Without you, none of this makes sense to me.” He asked everyone in the room who had worked with him to stand, and many did, including his tablemates. Steven Spielberg (Minority report), Jerry Bruckheimer (THE Top Gun movies), Christopher McQuarrie (THE Mission: Impossible franchise) and CAA agent Kevin Huvane – applauding them. “I want you to know – please know – that I carry you with me – every one of you – and that you are a part of every frame of every film I have made or will ever make. And I want you to know that I will always do everything I can for this art form – to support and champion new voices and to protect what makes cinema powerful, hopefully without too many additional fractures.”

The evening kicked off with a tribute to Parton, who previously said she would miss the event due to a scheduling conflict and who has also recently battled health issues. It was directed by one of his co-stars from the 1980 film 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Lily Tomlinwho, after being greeted with a standing ovation, struggled to read the teleprompter, resulting in a funny but awkward segment. Tomlin emphasized: “She [Parton] is one of the few people left in this world to everyone respects.”

A subsequent video highlighted Parton’s work on-screen and off, including her charitable work through the Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library, which provides books to children; his financial contributions which helped finance the development of the COVID-19 vaccine; and its long-standing support of the LGBTQ community.

Parton then appeared on screen in a pre-recorded video, with her Oscar winner next to her, and proclaimed: “I grew up in a home with 12 kids. Now, that alone teaches you how important sharing is! Don’t get me wrong, we didn’t have much to share, but my mom and dad showed me that the more you give, the more blessings you receive. And I have been blessed more than I ever thought possible. This award evening, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award – it makes me want to imagine new ways to help people rise, and isn’t that what we’re supposed to be here for?

SO, Second day performed Parton’s iconic song “Jolene,” as Hamnet director Chloe Zhao and Buckley danced in the audience.

The Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer led the celebration of Thomas, a 40-year industry veteran who, among other projects, designed Hidden charactersthe 2016 film she starred in, hailing it for “building words from scratch.” She also noted that Thomas was the first black production designer to join the Art Directors Guild and design films for major studios.

Among those who congratulated Thomas in a video were Spike Leewith whom he has collaborated for decades, since 1986 She must have it. Later teams included the 1989s Do the right thing1992s Malcolm X and until the 2020s Da 5 Sangs. Lee thanked the Academy for recognizing his friend and fellow artist.

Thomas then gave an emotional speech in which he thanked his late mother and late grandmother for supporting his dreams, even if they didn’t understand “this art thing” he was pursuing, as well as “all my art directors, my assistant art directors, my set designers, my set designers and dressers, my stage artists, my prop artists, all the graphic designers that I work with, my construction coordinators, my stage managers and scouts. About them, he said: “They are the people who make me look good, and they are the people who let me be the dreamer and turn my dreams into reality. » He added with a laugh: “I would like to thank a few of my directors tonight – not all, but some.

In the meantime, Villain: for good star Cynthia Erivo paid tribute to Allen, his mentor and “aunt,” saying: “Her impact on the world of cinema is extraordinary. » Allen, who played in the 1980s Fameproduced in 1997 Amistad and choreographed a record seven Oscar telecasts, described receiving his Oscar as “a profound moment.”

She thanked her late parents who, she said, “raised their children believing that they were citizens of the universe, that there were no boundaries and that whatever we could see, we could be…We were faced with brick walls, glass ceilings and ‘Whites Only’ signs everywhere, but we grew up believing in ourselves, we grew up understanding what struggle and faith is.” She also recognized her siblings, including actress Phylicia Rashadwho were sitting at his table.

Many attendees looked at each other in bewilderment when Allen also included, among those she thanked, Bill Cosbywith whom she and her sister Rashad worked on The Cosby Showbut who has since been disgraced by dozens of sexual assault allegations.