The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise, Dolly Parton, and production designer Wynn Thomas will receive honorary Oscars at this year’s Governors Awards.
“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 outgoing Academy president Janet Yang in a statement.
All four Oscar statuettes will be presented at the 16th annual Governors Awards, taking place on November 16 in Hollywood.
Debbie Allen: A True Multi-Talented Trailblazer
Known for her iconic roles in A Different World and Fame, as well as her groundbreaking work behind the scenes on Grey’s Anatomy, Allen’s contributions to the entertainment industry span generations and genres. She is a five-time Emmy Award winner with 21 nominations, a Kennedy Center Honoree, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and a member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame. In 2025, she was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Yale University.
Allen, 75, began her career on Broadway, debuting in the chorus of Purlie in 1970. She made her television debut in 1976 on Good Times and went on to appear in Roots: The Next Generations and the TV movie Ragtime. Her breakout film role came in 1980 with Fame, where she starred as dance teacher Lydia Grant, a role she reprised for the TV series adaptation in 1982—also serving as the show’s principal choreographer for six seasons. Allen was also nominated for three consecutive Golden Globe Awards for her work.
Tom Cruise: A Box Office Powerhouse
Tom Cruise, 62, will receive an honorary Oscar recognizing more than four decades of contributions to cinema. Cruise earned his first Academy Award nomination in 1990 for his portrayal of Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July. His career has spanned from 1983’s Risky Business to 2025’s Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, including two blockbuster Top Gun films released 36 years apart.
Dolly Parton: Humanitarian and Music Icon
Dolly Parton will be honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her decades-long philanthropic efforts. Parton has dedicated her life to charitable causes through initiatives like the Dollywood Foundation and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has provided approximately 285 million books to children worldwide. Parton is also a two-time Oscar nominee for Best Original Song for hits she wrote and performed in films she starred in, including the classic “9 to 5.”
Wynn Thomas: Visionary Production Designer
Philadelphia-born Wynn Thomas, an acclaimed production designer, will also receive an honorary Oscar. A graduate of Boston University, Thomas began his career at New York’s Public Theatre under the legendary Joseph Papp and later served as resident designer for the Negro Ensemble Company. His impressive film credits include A Beautiful Mind, Hidden Figures, Inside Man, Mars Attacks!, Get Smart, A Bronx Tale, King Richard, and Cinderella Man.
Don’t miss the 16th annual Governors Awards, where Hollywood’s elite will gather to celebrate four legendary artists whose remarkable contributions have shaped the film industry and beyond.
