Los angeles: US actor Tom Cruise received an honorary Oscar on Sunday evening, marking the first golden statue of his decades-long career, to a standing ovation from Hollywood’s elite.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the 63-year-old actor took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to the sound of the “Mission Impossible” theme tune, a hallmark of his illustrious career. The audience included peers such as Colin Farrell and Emilio Estevez, with whom he has shared the screen, and the renowned Steven Spielberg, who directed him in notable films like “Minority Report” and “War of the Worlds.”
Cruise, a four-time Oscar nominee, has never won the award and spoke passionately about his love for cinema in a heartfelt speech. He praised the big screen as a place that sparks “a hunger for adventure, a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to understand humanity, to create characters, to tell a story, to see the world.”
The honorary Oscars, awarded annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, celebrate cinema legends for their careers and contributions to the film industry. Cruise’s award was presented by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who directed him in the upcoming film “Judy.” Inarritu humorously remarked about the challenge of encapsulating Cruise’s 45-year career in a mere four-minute speech, describing it as “a mission impossible.”
Inarritu emphasized the celebration of Cruise’s lifetime of work, sharing a lighthearted moment about witnessing Cruise perform his most dangerous stunt yet: “This man ate more chili than any Mexican.” The evening also saw honorary Oscars presented to actor Debbie Allen, known for her role in “Fame,” production designer Wynn Thomas, and country singer Dolly Parton, who was honored for her humanitarian work.