The honour lands at a Dolby Theatre gala on April 24, 2027, and proceeds from the evening go to AFI's education and arts initiatives.
The American Film Institute's board of trustees has chosen Tom Cruise to receive the 52nd AFI Life Achievement Award, the board announced on Wednesday. Cruise will be honoured at a gala tribute in the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, on Saturday, April 24, 2027.
The honour goes to one person a year. AFI describes it as "the highest honor given for a career in film", and the board's criteria say the recipient "should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time." The first award went to John Ford in 1973. Eddie Murphy was the most recent honoree.
In a statement, Kathleen Kennedy, who heads the AFI's trustee board, said: "Tom Cruise is a global icon. As an actor and producer, he brings an extraordinary commitment to everything he does." She said what she admires most about him:
"What I especially admire is his deep belief in movies and their ability to bring people together."
Cruise has been nominated for three Oscars as an actor: best actor for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, and supporting actor for Magnolia. Cruise also earned a nod as producer of Top Gun: Maverick, which was up for best picture. In 2025 he received an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards.
His films have earned nearly $13 billion at the worldwide box office. His credits include Risky Business, Top Gun, Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men, Minority Report and the Mission: Impossible series.
Cruise is currently starring in *Digger*, Alejandro González Iñárritu's film. Audiences are divided over the film, though it is among the season's most discussed releases.
Days of Thunder 2 will see Cruise reprise his part as Cole Trickle. As announced earlier, Cruise will also share the screen with Anne Hathaway in the next Days of Thunder instalment, due out in 2028.
Cruise, who is 64, has previously been honoured by the Cannes Film Festival, the Producers Guild of America and France's Knight of the Legion of Honor, among others.
Excerpts of his work will be shown at the gala, along with tributes from people close to him and his collaborators, and Cruise himself will deliver an acceptance speech. All proceeds from the gala will support AFI's education and arts initiatives.
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