Tom Cruise was reportedly considered for one of the nation’s most prestigious cultural awards but turned it down.
Multiple current and former Kennedy Center employees revealed under the condition of anonymity that the 63-year-old actor was on the shortlist to receive a medal at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors. Cruise allegedly declined the recognition due to “scheduling conflicts.”
Cruise, whose decades-long career includes box office juggernauts such as Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, and Jerry Maguire, has not publicly commented on the reported offer.
The Kennedy Center Honors, held annually in Washington, D.C., recognize artists whose lifetime contributions have significantly shaped American culture. This year’s honorees were announced Wednesday, August 13, by President Donald Trump, who earlier this year appointed himself chairman of the Kennedy Center.
“Today, President Donald J. Trump proudly unveiled the honorees of the 48th Kennedy Center Honors, recognizing an extraordinary group of artists whose talents have shaped American culture and entertained generations,” read an official White House statement. “These heroes of arts and culture will be celebrated at the annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala in December.”
The 2025 honorees include country music icon George Strait, stage and screen legend Michael Crawford, action star Sylvester Stallone, disco pioneer Gloria Gaynor, and rock band Kiss.
Speaking to reporters, Trump emphasized his personal role in selecting this year’s recipients.
“I would say I was about 98 percent involved. They all went through me,” Trump said. “I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This is very different from it used to be, very different.”
Some of the recipients expressed pride in joining the Kennedy Center’s storied roster.
“Kiss is the embodiment of the American dream,” frontman Gene Simmons told TMZ. “We are deeply honored to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.”
Bandmate Paul Stanley echoed that sentiment, calling the award “the prestige of a lifetime” and dedicating it to “the long legacy of Kiss and all of the band members who helped create our iconic band.”
Original drummer Peter Criss added that it was “the greatest honor” of the group’s career.
The Kennedy Center Honors traditionally aim for bipartisan appeal and are known for a black-tie gala attended by political leaders, entertainers, and dignitaries. However, Trump has hinted at reshaping the process since taking the helm. In a March board meeting, he said: “We’ll go slightly more conservative, if you don’t mind, with some of the people. There are people out there that would not be considered that are much bigger stars than the ones that were being honored.”
While it remains unclear whether Cruise’s reported decision was strictly due to scheduling or also influenced by the political climate surrounding the awards, his absence will likely be noticed. The gala is scheduled for December and will be broadcast nationally, continuing the tradition of honoring artists whose work has left a lasting mark on the American cultural landscape.