After more than four decades as an actor, Tom Cruise finally received his Oscar on Sunday.

Cruise, 63, a four-time Academy Award nominee, accepted an honorary Oscar recognizing his body of work during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences‘ 16th Annual Governors Awards, held in Hollywood at the Ray Dolby Ballroom.

The award was presented by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who is directing Cruise in an upcoming film that is scheduled to be released in October 2026. The film has yet to be named.

Also receiving honorary Oscars were choreographer Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was presented to country music star-actress Dolly Parton, who was unable to attend the show due to health reasons. She sent a prerecorded speech.

Cruise has been nominated for Best Actor two times -- in “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989) and “Jerry Maguire (1996) -- once for Best Supporting Actor in ”Magnolia,“ (1999) and once for Best Picture as a producer for ”Top Gun: Maverick" (2022).

He gave an emotional acceptance speech, paying tribute to people who make films possible. He also spoke about the unifying power of cinema.

“The cinema, it takes me around the world,” Cruise said. “It helps me to appreciate and respect differences. It shows me also our shared humanity, how alike we are in so, so many ways. And no matter where we come from, in that theater, 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.”

The event’s red carpet drew dozens of actors, including Jennifer Lawrence, Michael B. Jordan, Sydney Sweeney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ariana Grande, Adam Sandler, Dwayne Johnson and Emma Stone.

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