Man on the mission, Tom Cruise has reportedly vowed to champion cinema after receiving his first-ever Honorary Oscar at the Governors' Awards on November 16, 2025. Variety reported that the actor was presented with his first-ever Academy Honorary Award by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Tom accepted the award with a heartfelt speech, describing his love for cinema. He started by describing the impact of cinema on his life, and noted that it has helped him travel distances, "appreciate differences", and has shown him aspects of "shared humanity." He added,"No matter where we come from, in that theatre, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, and that is the power of this art form. And that is why it matters, that is why it matters to me. So making films is not what I do, it is who I am.”He elaborated that his love and respect for cinema sprouted at an "early age." He noted,“I was just a little kid in a darkened theatre, and I remember that beam of light just cut across the room, and I remember looking up, and it seemed to be just exploding on the screen. Suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I knew."He revealed that these moments "sparked a hunger for: adventure, knowledge, and humanity." He added,"It opened my eyes. It opened my imagination to the possibility that life could expand far beyond the boundaries that I then perceived in my own life. And that beam of light opened a desire to open the world, and I have been following it ever since.”He ended the speech with,"I want you to know that I will do everything I can for this art form, to support and champion new voices, to protect what makes cinema powerful. Hopefully, without too many more broken bones.” View this post on Instagram Instagram PostTom Cruise celebrates after receiving his first-ever Oscar View this post on Instagram Instagram PostTom Cruise gave a heartfelt speech at the Governors' Awards after being honoured for his "extraordinary contribution to cinema." He described his passion for movies as a "beam of light" that has continued to shine in his life to date. Variety reported that the Mission Impossible actor has been nominated for Oscars four times previously. In a video shared by DJ D-Nice on his Instagram, Tom could be seen dancing with fellow Honorary Award winner Debbie Allen. Janet Yang, President of the Academy, acknowledged Tom's contribution in a press release. She described him as an,"committed advocate of the theatrical experience, and he helped to usher the industry through a challenging time during the COVID-19 pandemic”.She added,"Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all."Along with Tom Cruise and Debbie, "cinematic visionaries" Wynn Thomas and Dolly Parton were also honoured with Honorary Awards.Tom Cruise has been awarded his first-ever Oscar. In an emotional speech, the singer expressed gratitude towards cinema and his lifelong commitment to the field.