Tom Cruise Receives U.S. Navy’s Highest Civilian Honour
Beyond his success in Hollywood, Tom Cruise has been honoured with the highest civilian award from the U.S. Navy. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro presented the actor and producer with the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service (DPS) Award at the age of 62. For civilians outside of the Navy, this award is the most important honour.
Because of his renowned performance in the 1986 movie ‘Top Gun’ and its very successful sequel, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, which he also produced, Cruise has a lengthy history with the Navy. The 2022 release sparked a renewed interest in naval aviation among younger viewers and brought back fond memories for more seasoned admirers. Cruise’s outstanding performance earned him the title of 36th Honorary Naval Aviator of the Navy.
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The Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey, England, hosted the award presentation. In his address, Cruise discussed his guiding concept and emphasized that service is the foundation of genuine leadership. In addition, he conveyed his appreciation for the honour and credited his cast and crew for their hard work in making his ideas a reality.
Del Toro emphasized Cruise’s important role in encouraging future generations to enlist in the Navy and Marine Corps, pointing to the spike in enrollment that followed the first ‘Top Gun’. Cruise joins other movie greats including Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, who were previously honored for their roles in Saving Private Ryan.
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Following the success of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, which earned six Academy Award nominations and $1.496 billion worldwide, Cruise is apparently working on a third entry in the series. The sequel received an Oscar for Best Sound and is still his highest-grossing movie.
The eighth movie in the action series, ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’, is scheduled for release on 23rd May 2025, marking Cruise’s big-screen comeback.
–Farheen Ali