Tom Cruise wouldn't leave the ballroom after getting his first Oscar

"On Sunday night, Tom Cruise demonstrated one reason his star shines brighter in Hollywood than others: His stamina and endurance. That's according to writers present at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Governors Awards, where the 63-year-old Mission: Impossible star finally received an Oscar. Actually, it was an honorary Oscar, given to Cruise for his incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, as Academy President Janet Yang said when the award was announced earlier this year."

"Cruise ended up makng the most of his special night, staying long after the ceremony ended to continue to shake hands and pose for photos, even after the crowd had dwindled to two dozen stragglers and the stage was being dismantled, New York Times writer Kyle Buchanan said. With the house lights up, Buchanan wrote, one guest departing the ballroom turn back in disbelief and asked, He's still here?"

"Cruise has indeed endured as a movie star and in an industry that has been dealing with declining box office numbers since the rise of streaming and the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, Hollywood is reeling from the fact that more than two-dozen buzzed-about dramas and comedies released in the past three months, most fronted by such major movie stars as Di Caprio and Julia Roberts, have struggled at the box office or even played to near-empty theaters, according to another New York Times report."

Tom Cruise, 63, received an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in the Ray Dolby Ballroom, honoring his commitment to the filmmaking community. The Mission: Impossible star attended a long ceremony with about 1,000 guests, including many fellow actors, and lingered afterward to greet attendees and pose for photos even as most guests departed and the stage was being dismantled. Cruise's persistence and willingness to perform death-defying stunts underscore his commitment to theatrical filmmaking. The film industry has faced declining box office returns since the rise of streaming and the COVID-19 pandemic, with many recent star-led dramas and comedies underperforming in theaters.

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