After a week of speculation, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have announced that its voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to actress, director, and choreographer Debbie Allen, actor/producer Tom Cruise, and production designer Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to country superstar Dolly Parton. The quartet of film icons will be presented their Oscar statuettes at the Academy’s 16th Governors Awards event on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
“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,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “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.”
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Taking a dive into each of their accolades, Allen has done everything from starring in the Oscar-winning film “Fame” and its TV adaptation, to producing films like “Amistad,” and choreographing seven Academy Awards ceremonies. Cruise has elevated past a Hollywood leading man into one of Hollywood’s fiercest advocates for the theatrical experience with the success of “Top Gun: Maverick” coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thomas is a production designer best known for his collaborative relationship with director Spike Lee on films like “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X” and “Da 5 Bloods.” He has also worked on several Best Picture Oscar contenders including 2002 winner “A Beautiful Mind” and the 2016 film “Hidden Figures.”
In addition to writing and performing timeless hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene,” and starring in films like “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias,” two-time Oscar nominee Parton has founded various charitable and philanthropic organizations, including the Dollywood Foundation, best known for its literacy program, “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” which has provided children with 285 million books.
The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is 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.”
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian 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.”
