Overview
- Cruise told the audience that making films is not what he does but who he is, praising cinema’s power to connect people across cultures.
- Alejandro G. Iñárritu presented the statuette and is directing Cruise in an untitled project scheduled for October 2026.
- Choreographer Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas also received honorary Oscars, and Dolly Parton accepted the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award via prerecorded remarks due to health.
- Before this lifetime honor, Cruise had four competitive Oscar nominations, including two for best actor and one for best supporting actor, without a win.
- The nontelevised event at the Ray Dolby Ballroom drew major awards‑season contenders, with Cruise’s remarks circulating widely online and a pre‑ceremony dance-floor moment with Debbie Allen gaining attention.