Watch: Tom Cruise’s Honorary Oscar Award Full Acceptance Speech
by Alex Billington
November 17, 2025
Source: YouTube
“You inspire me, you challenge me, and you expand – in my mind – what I think is possible… You are all my friends.” This right here is a wonderful example of an all-timer acceptance speech, a real masterclass in speaking to your peers and also paying tribute to all those who have paved the way before you. While he has been nominated a few times before, Tom Cruise has never actually won an Oscar. So The Academy decided to give him an honorary Academy Award this year. This special honorary Oscar was presented to Tom at a special event this past weekend called the Governors Awards (and a clip will be shown during the Oscars Ceremony next March). His career in cinema as an actor started in 1981 with the two films: Endless Love and Taps. He has been a remarkable force in the movies ever since, from Top Gun and Mission: Impossible to Eyes Wide Shut and Minority Report and Collateral, and everything else. This is a very touching speech that is worth your time listening to – all about the magic of cinema and everyone involved in it. View below.
And this tribute to Tom Cruise from filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu (who just made a movie with Tom):
This video was posted directly to the Oscars YouTube page for everyone to watch. Their intro: “Tom Cruise receives and Honorary Oscar for his legacy of work.” This was given out at a special event hosted this fall to present these special Oscars. The Governors Awards is an annual event celebrating awards conferred by the Academy’s Board of Governors – the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and the Honorary Award. Recipients are announced each summer and honored at [this] dinner gala. Highlights from the event are incorporated into the year’s Academy Awards show. And for 2025: The 16th Governors Awards presents Honorary Oscars to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. The four Oscar statuettes were presented at the Academy’s 16th Governors Awards on Sunday, November 16th, 2025, in Los Angeles. He has received four nominations for Academy Awards over the years but has never won (yet). What’s your favorite Tom Cruise performance?
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