Reports claim that Tom Cruise has turned down the invitation to receive a Kennedy Center Honor from US President Donald Trump due to
Hollywood legend Tom Cruise has declined an invitation to be one of the first batch of Kennedy Center Honorees under US President Donald Trump’s second term in office. Cruise was offered the honor, but he turned it down because of scheduling conflicts, according to The Washington Post. Several current and former Kennedy Center staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the report, as they were not allowed to comment on the event publicly. A Cruise spokesman also declined to comment.
What is the Kennedy Center Honor?
The Kennedy Center Honors is America’s highest arts award, honoring people who have greatly contributed to culture through the performing arts. President Trump this year included legendary actor Sylvester Stallone and country music legend George Strait as honorees. Disco diva Gloria Gaynor, hard-rocking KISS, and British theater veteran Michael Crawford, who is famously known for his unforgettable performance in The Phantom of the Opera, will also be honored.
Breaking with custom, Trump declared that he would personally host the Honors event, which traditionally occurs in early December and is broadcast subsequently on CBS. The Kennedy Center, opened in 1971 as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, is the home of the National Symphony Orchestra and hosts theater, opera, and comedy, among others.
What was the Kennedy Center controversy?
Trump seized control of the center earlier this year by ousting its leadership and declaring himself board chairman, vowing to excise any programming he deemed objectionable.
While Cruise won’t be part of the Kennedy Center Honors lineup, he’s still set to receive a major recognition this year. Tom Cruise will receive an honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards on November 16 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to film, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced in June. With nominations for Best Actor Oscars for Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, Cruise has given some of the most memorable performances ever on screen. His impact has also extended beyond the screen; as a producer of Top Gun: Maverick, he received a Best Picture nomination.
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