Tom Cruise receives Honorary Oscar, says making movies is 'who I am'

Tom Cruise was presented with an Academy Honorary Award during the Governors Awards, and the Hollywood superstar spoke about the magic of movies and how they define him in an emotional speech.

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise was awarded his first-ever golden statue—an honorary Oscar—on Sunday night, marking the culmination of his decades-long career with a standing ovation from the audience.

Accompanied by the Mission Impossible theme tune, Cruise walked onto the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to a burst of applause.

Among the peers cheering him on were Colin Farrell and Emilio Estevez, both past screen partners, and the esteemed Steven Spielberg, who previously directed him in two films: Minority Report and War of the Worlds.

Cruise, a four-time Oscar nominee, has never won the award and spoke of his love for cinema in a heartfelt speech.

He praised the big screen as a place that sparks "a hunger for adventure, a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to understand humanity, to create characters, to tell a story, to see the world."

The honorary Oscars, awarded annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, celebrate cinema legends for their careers and contributions to the film industry.

Cruise's award was presented by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who directed him in the upcoming film Judy.

The Academy also presented honorary Oscars that evening to actor Debbie Allen, who starred in Fame and production designer Wynn Thomas.

Wynn Thomas and Tom Cruise pose with their honorary Oscars during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 16th Governors Awards in Los Angeles, California, US.