Oscar® awards will be given to these honorees on November 16
By Angela Redding | Hollywood Beat magazine | June 17, 2025
GRAPHIC: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences shared that its Board of Governors has decided to give Academy Honorary Awards to Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise, and Wynn Thomas. They will also present the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Dolly Parton. The four Oscar® statuettes will be awarded at the Academy’s 16th Governors Awards event on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Ovation Hollywood.
The Academy President, Janet Yang, shared the news about the Governors Awards for four legendary individuals: Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise, Dolly Parton, and Wynn Thomas. Allen’s choreography and acting have captivated generations, Cruise’s dedication to the filmmaking community, Parton’s dedication to charitable efforts, and Thomas is recognized for his creative vision.
Honorees
Debbie Allen
Allen has made a lasting impression on film for almost five decades as a choreographer, actor, and producer. She choreographed the Academy Awards® ceremony seven times, along with movies like “Forget Paris,” “A Jazzman’s Blues,” and “The Six Triple Eight.” Her work as a producer includes titles such as “Amistad” and “A Star for Rose.” Allen also left her mark as an actress in films like “Fame,” “Ragtime,” and “Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling.”
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise, a renowned and high-earning actor, has played a significant role in the film industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has starred in Oscar-nominated films like “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Jerry Maguire,” and “Magnolia,” and produced “Top Gun: Maverick.” Other notable films include “Risky Business,” “A Few Good Men,” and “Interview with the Vampire.”
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton, a renowned musician and humanitarian, has been awarded the Governors Award for her humanitarian efforts. She founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988 to inspire children in East Tennessee to achieve success. Parton’s literacy program, “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” has provided 285 million books and continues to be a signature program of the Dollywood Foundation.
She has earned two Oscar nominations in the Original Song category for “Nine to Five” and for “Travelin’ Thru” from “Transamerica.”
Wynn Thomas
Thomas, a renowned production designer, began his career with Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” and has worked on films like “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.
The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, recognizes exceptional lifetime achievement and significant contributions to motion picture arts and sciences.
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.”
The 16th Governors Awards are given out in collaboration with Rolex, which is the Official Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
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