The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the honorees for its 16th Governors Awards, with Debbie Allen, Tom Cruise, and Wynn Thomas set to receive Academy Honorary Awards, and Dolly Parton honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. All four will receive Oscar® statuettes at a ceremony on November 16, 2025, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Ovation Hollywood.
“These four legendary individuals have left a lasting imprint on the film industry,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “Their careers and contributions exemplify the spirit of these awards.”
Debbie Allen, an Emmy-winning choreographer, actress, and producer, will be honored for her nearly five-decade career spanning stage and screen. Known for her work on Fame, Ragtime, and Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, Allen has also choreographed the Academy Awards® seven times and produced major films including Amistad and A Star for Rose.
Tom Cruise, one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, is being recognized not only for his storied film career—including Top Gun: Maverick, Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and the Mission: Impossible series—but also for his advocacy of the theatrical experience, especially during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dolly Parton will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her decades-long charitable efforts. The country music legend and two-time Oscar-nominated songwriter has made an indelible mark through the Dollywood Foundation and her global literacy initiative, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has distributed over 285 million books to children worldwide.
Wynn Thomas will be honored for his groundbreaking work as a production designer. A longtime collaborator of Spike Lee, Thomas’s credits include Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Da 5 Bloods, A Beautiful Mind, and Hidden Figures. His visionary set designs have shaped some of the most iconic films in American cinema.
The Governors Awards, presented in partnership with Rolex, recognize lifetime achievements and humanitarian contributions in the motion picture industry. This year’s ceremony will once again spotlight artists who have shaped the art of filmmaking both on and off the screen.