Tom Cruise to finally receive Oscar years after performing own stunts

Tom Cruise will finally be recognised by the Academy for his lifelong dedication to acting, as he is set to receive an Honorary Oscar later this year.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced the recipients of the Honorary Awards, which will be presented at the 16th annual Governors Awards on November 16, 2025, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood.

The Top Gun star will be honoured alongside fellow recipients Debbie Allen and Wynn Thomas. The recognition comes after decades of groundbreaking work, including his latest feat, setting a Guinness World Record for "the most burning parachute jumps by an individual."

The stunt, performed 16 times, was part of the latest Mission: Impossible installment, in which Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, jumps from a damaged biplane while wearing a parachute that catches fire, all done without CGI.

Though this isn’t a competitive Oscar like Best Actor or Best Picture, the Honorary Award is an official Oscar statuette and one of the most prestigious honours the Academy can bestow, recognising extraordinary contributions to film and lifetime achievement.

The receiving ceremony will marks Cruise’s first Oscar win, despite three previous nominations for his performances in Magnolia, Jerry Maguire, and Born on the Fourth of July. 

Notably, fans have long expressed frustration that the action icon hadn’t yet received an Oscar, especially considering his unmatched dedication to performing his own stunts.

Moreover, the upcoming event follows the release of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which premiered in theaters worldwide on May 23 and once again featured Cruise perfoming death-defying stunts all by himself.