Tom Cruise will be honoured with the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 52nd Life Achievement Award in recognition of his decades-long contribution to cinema as an actor and producer.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the award will be presented at a gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on 24 April 2027. The event will feature clips from Cruise’s films and tributes from friends and collaborators, followed by an acceptance speech.
Kathleen Kennedy, chair of AFI’s board of trustees, praised Cruise’s commitment to filmmaking and his belief in cinema’s power to bring people together, describing him as a global ambassador for American film.
Cruise, 64, has built a career spanning 45 years, with films featuring him earning nearly $13b worldwide. His credits include ‘Rain Man’, ‘Jerry Maguire’, ‘Minority Report’, ‘A Few Good Men’ and the ‘Mission: Impossible’ and ‘Top Gun’ franchises.
He has received three acting Oscar nominations and a Best Picture nomination as a producer of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. In 2025, he received an honorary Oscar.
The AFI Life Achievement Award, established in 1973, recognises artists whose work has made a lasting contribution to film. Proceeds from the 2027 gala will support the institute’s arts and education programmes.
