The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Tuesday that Tom Cruise, Debbie Allen and longtime Spike Lee collaborator and production designer Wynn Thomas will receive honorary Oscars at the 2025 Governors Awards. In addition, Dolly Parton will receive the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
The Oscar statuettes will be presented in a ceremony for the 16th annual Governors Awards on November 16 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood.
“This year’s Governors Awards will celebrate four legendary individuals whose extraordinary careers and commitment to our filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact,” Academy president Janet Yang said in a release announcing the news. “The Academy’s Board of Governors is honored to recognize these brilliant artists. Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres. Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all. Beloved performer Dolly Parton exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts. And production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.”
Cruise, who has been nominated for three acting Oscars — leading for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire and supporting for Magnolia — received his fourth nomination for producing 2023 Best Picture candidate Top Gun: Maverick. His credits in a long career also include Risky Business, A Few Good Men, Interview with the Vampire, Eyes Wide Shut, Vanilla Sky and the Mission: Impossible film series that is wrapping with this summer’s The Final Reckoning.
Allen’s work over almost five decades as a choreographer, actor and producer includes choreographing the Academy Awards seven times. The Fame and Jo Jo Dancer actress’ producing credits include Amistad and A Star for Rose.
Thomas’ credits with Lee spans from 1986’s She’s Gotta Have It to Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and 2020’s Da 5 Bloods with many in between. He was also production designer on Oscar Best Picture A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man with Ron Howard, and on Hidden Figures among others.
The Honorary Oscar is a statuette given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy,” according to the Academy.
Parton, the Steel Magnolias and Nine to Five star who has sold 100 million records, has two Oscar Original Song nominations (for “Nine to Five” and “Travelin’ Thru”), is being recognized for her humanitarian work with the Hersholt honor. She has founded charitable and philanthropic organizations including the Dollywood Foundation and within that the literacy program Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The Hersholt award, also an Oscar statuette, is given “to an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities,” the Academy says.
Last year, Governors Awards honors went to Quincy Jones and casting director Juliet Taylor, with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award given to British writer-director Richard Curtis and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. It marked only the second time in the history of the awards that no actor was chosen for the annual honors, a must-stop on the movie-awards circuit.
The Hersholt and Thalberg awards are not always given out, and are dependent on the vote of AMPAS’ Board of Governors.
The Governors Awards are not televised, but winners are traditionally recognized during the Oscars ceremony. That would happen for this group at the 98th Oscars, set for March 16, 2026 at the Dolby Theater to be hosted again by Conan O’Brien.
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