Tom Cruise Receives Honorary Oscar at Star-Studded Governors Awards
LOS ANGELES, November 18, 2023 – In a night brimming with Hollywood royalty, Tom Cruise finally received an honorary Oscar at the Academy’s Governors Awards on Sunday, marking a career milestone for the celebrated actor and filmmaker. The event, described as “atomic” by Colin Farrell – attending for his second Governors Awards – kicked off a busy awards season trail that has been building since the fall festivals.
The ceremony, held Sunday night, drew a constellation of stars, offering a rare chance for industry colleagues to connect outside the usual press circuit.Conversations flowed freely once the initial “glad handing” subsided, with attendees focusing on, as Farrell put it, “talk[ing] movies.”
A lively debate between directors Noah Baumbach ( Jay kelly’s) and Richard Linklater (Nouvelle Vague’s) over the merits of François Truffaut versus Jean-Luc Godard captivated a small group, drawing in Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value’s) and Sony Pictures Classics’ Michael Barker, who recounted attending a conference where Truffaut and Godard themselves debated each other’s work.
the evening wasn’t without its lighter moments. Singer Aiyana-Lee, featured in Spike Lee’s Highest To Lowest, found herself momentarily underfoot – literally – when Steven Spielberg unknowingly stepped on her gown. She reportedly was “thrilled” by the encounter, a sentiment echoed by another attendee who had similarly inconvenienced Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value’s).
Amidst the celebratory atmosphere, concerns about the state of the movie industry surfaced. Roadside Attractions’ Howard Cohen expressed anxiety after reading several Sunday articles predicting a bleak future for cinemas, including reports of empty theaters. He was reassured by the upcoming release of Wicked For Good, with Universal’s Donna Langley expressing her pride in the film as the conclusion to the biggest box office Broadway movie adaptation ever.
Guillermo del Toro was among those in attendance, alongside Adam Sandler and his wife jackie, who is starring in a film of her own. Sydney Sweeney was observed taking in the scene, while Jennifer Lopez and Leonardo DiCaprio greeted friends separately. Kathryn Bigelow shared that Senator Markey was deeply moved by her nuclear warning film, A House Of Dynamite, which she believes “should be required viewing by every world leader.”
Kate Winslet and her son,Joe Anders,were at the Netflix table. Winslet is making her directorial debut with Goodbye June, written by Anders, set to debut December 12 in theaters and on Netflix Christmas Eve.Anders is also pursuing an acting career, appearing in new versions of Cape Fear and East Of Eden. Netflix’s Ted Sarandos revealed he recently moderated a conversation with del Toro following the premiere of Frankenstein in Mexico City.
The event, the first black-tie gathering of the awards season, proved to be a memorable occasion for all invited. As one observer noted, covering the “Oscar trail” involves encountering these stars and filmmakers repeatedly, but this particular night stood out as a special festivity of cinematic achievement.
