Dolly Parton is also being honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who will be giving out the special awards this coming November.
June 18, 2025 – 10 min read
95th Oscars® nominee Tom Cruise arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 13, 2023. The 95th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 12, 2023 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Michael Yada / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
Preview:Tom Cruise is among those to receive an Honorary Oscar this year.Dolly Parton will be given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian AwardThe recipients will be honored at the 16th Annual Governor’s Awards.While you can imagine that Tom Cruise might have won an Oscar for Services to Hanging Off of Planes and Other Things, the star of ‘Mission: Impossible –– The Final Reckoning’ (and, you know a fairly extensive career before that) has been nominated four times, but has never actually won.
He was nominated for acting in ‘Born on the Fourth of July’, ‘Jerry Maguire’, ‘Magnolia,’ and as producer on ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is now filling that gap on his Hollywood resume, awarding him an honorary Academy Award. And he’s not alone; Debbie Allen and Wynn Thomas are also getting Honorary Oscars, while Dolly Parton will be given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Here’s Academy president Janet Yang’s statement on the new honorees:
“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. 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.”
Related Article: 35 Best Tom Cruise Movies of All TimeWho are the other honorary award recipients?
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that its Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. Photo: ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
Dolly Parton surely needs little introduction –– she’s been a music legend for years, has appeared in the likes of movies such as ‘Nine to Five’ (and contributed the iconic song for it), but has also become known for her incredible philanthropic efforts, as well as being a producer on a raft of projects (including the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ movie). She’s also a huge proponent of childhood literacy and education.
Debbie Allen, 75, is a trailblazing artist, but also a champion of arts education — on screen (her most famous role is dance teacher Lydia Grant in 1980 movie ‘Fame’ and its television adaptation that ran from 1982 through 1987, which she also choreographed) –– and off through her Debbie Allen Dance Academy in LA and other activities. She also acted in 1981’s ‘Ragtime’, produced 1997’s ‘Amistad’ with Steven Spielberg; and choreographed 2024’s ‘The Six Triple Eight.’
Wynn Thomas, who got his start in the New York theater, is a revered production designer who is best known for his extensive collaboration with Spike Lee, which encompasses 11 films over 35 years, spanning Lee’s movie directorial debut, 1986’s ‘She’s Gotta Have It’, through 2020’s ‘Da 5 Bloods’. He’s also worked with a host of other big-name directors.
When will the Academy hand out these awards?Cruise and co. will be picking up their awards at the 16th annual Governors Awards, which will be a black-tie ceremony at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 16th.
Will TC be leaping in from a helicopter flying above the theater? Let’s find out!
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Tom Cruise Movies:’Taps’ (1981)’The Outsiders’ (1983)’Risky Business’ (1983)’All the Right Moves’ (1983)’Legend’ (1986)’Top Gun’ (1986)’The Color of Money’ (1986)’Cocktail’ (1988)’Rain Man’ (1988)’Born on the Fourth of July’ (1989)’Days of Thunder’ (1990)’Far and Away’ (1992)’A Few Good Men’ (1992)’The Firm’ (1993)’Interview with the Vampire’ (1994)’Mission: Impossible’ (1996)’Jerry Maguire’ (1996)’Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999)’Magnolia’ (2000)’Mission: Impossible II’ (2000)’Vanilla Sky’ (2001)’Minority Report’ (2002)’Austin Powers in Goldmember’ (2002)’The Last Samurai’ (2003)’Collateral’ (2004)’War of the Worlds’ (2005)’Mission: Impossible III’ (2006)’Lions for Lambs’ (2007)’Tropic Thunder’ (2008)’Valkyrie’ (2008)’Knight and Day’ (2010)’Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ (2011)’Rock of Ages’ (2012)’Jack Reacher’ (2012)’Oblivion’ (2013)’Edge of Tomorrow’ (2014)’Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ (2015)’Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ (2016)’The Mummy’ (2017)’American Made’ (2017)’Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)’Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)’Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One’ (2023)’Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning’ (2025)Buy Tom Cruise Movies on Amazon
