More than three decades after his first Oscar nod, Tom Cruise is finally set to take home an Academy Award — though not for a specific film performance. The iconic actor will be honored with an honorary Oscar at this year’s Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Tuesday.

Cruise will be joined by choreographer and producer Debbie Allen and renowned production designer Wynn Thomas as fellow recipients of honorary statuettes. Music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in recognition of her outstanding charitable contributions, especially in literacy and education.

Academy President Janet Yang described the upcoming event as a celebration of "four legendary individuals whose remarkable careers and commitment to filmmaking have left a profound impact on the industry."

Cruise, 62, has been nominated four times over the course of his career — for lead roles in Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, for his supporting turn in Magnolia, and as a producer of Top Gun: Maverick, which earned a best picture nomination. Though he has never won competitively, he has been a major force behind reviving theatrical moviegoing during the COVID-19 era, consistently advocating for big-screen experiences and championing the stunt community.

Debbie Allen, 75, has never been nominated for an Oscar, but her contributions behind the scenes are significant. In addition to her work as an actress and producer, Allen has choreographed seven Oscar telecasts — four of which earned Emmy nominations.

Wynn Thomas, a trailblazing Black production designer, also receives his first Oscar recognition this year. Best known for his long-standing collaboration with director Spike Lee — on films like Malcolm X, Da 5 Bloods, and She’s Gotta Have It — Thomas has also worked on major films such as A Beautiful Mind, which went on to win best picture.

Country music icon Dolly Parton, a two-time Oscar nominee for original songs “9 to 5” and “Travelin’ Thru” from Transamerica, will be honored not for her music, but for her decades of humanitarian work. Through initiatives like the Dollywood Foundation and her Imagination Library, she’s helped expand access to books and education for children around the world. Yang said Parton “embodies the values” recognized by the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

The awards ceremony will be held on November 16 in Los Angeles at the Ray Dolby Ballroom. The event, which is not broadcast, is dedicated to celebrating lifetime achievements and service to the film industry. Last year’s recipients included music legend Quincy Jones, longtime James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, filmmaker Richard Curtis, and casting director Juliet Taylor.

The honorees are chosen by the Academy’s board of governors, recognizing individuals who have made lasting contributions to cinema and the wider filmmaking community.