The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise and Wynn Thomas, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. The four Oscar® statuettes will be presented at the Academy’s 16th Governors Awards on November 16, 2025.
“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.”
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.”
Over a career spanning nearly five decades as a choreographer, actor, and producer, Allen has choreographed the Academy Awards® ceremony seven times, as well as films including “Forget Paris,” “A Jazzman’s Blues” and “The Six Triple Eight.” Her producing credits include “Amistad” and “A Star for Rose.” Allen made her mark as an actress with “Fame,” “Ragtime” and “Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling.”
Cruise, one of the most recognized and highest-grossing actors of all time, was singled out for helping to usher the industry through the COVID-19 pandemic, and a deep commitment to his craft – including performing all of his own stunts. His work includes his Oscar-nominated acting roles in “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Magnolia,” and the Oscar-nominated “Top Gun: Maverick,” for which he earned a Best Picture nomination as producer.
Parton, a musical artist with a career spanning seven decades is one of the most accomplished in history, with 49 studio albums and more than 100 million records sold worldwide. She has starred in such films as “Nine to Five” and “Steel Magnolias.” She has earned two Oscar nominations in the Original Song category for “Nine to Five” and for “Travelin’ Thru” from “Transamerica.” With this Governors Award, a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Parton will be recognized for her decades-long humanitarian efforts. She has founded various charitable and philanthropic organizations, including the Dollywood Foundation, which was created in 1988 to inspire the children of East Tennessee – her home state – to achieve educational success. Additionally, her literacy program, “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” launched in 1995 in honor of her father, has provided children with 285 million books. It evolved into an international movement and remains the signature program of the Dollywood Foundation.
Production designer Thomas began his career working on Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” which would be the first of several collaborations between the two. Thomas’s film credits include Lee’s “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X” and “Da 5 Bloods.” Other notable credits from his career include the Best Picture-winning “A Beautiful Mind,” as well as “Cinderella Man” and “Hidden Figures,” to name a few.