Golden Globe-winning actor Tom Cruise has yet another award to add to his collection after garnering the U.S. Navy’s top civilian honor.
On Tuesday, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro bestowed Cruise with the Distinguished Public Service Award at a ceremony held at Longcross Studios in Surrey, England, located about 30 miles outside of London.
“He has spent nearly four decades as an unwavering supporter of the men, women, and families of the Navy and Marine Corps,” the statement reads.
“His dedicated efforts in the film industry have significantly increased public awareness and appreciation for Navy personnel and their sacrifices.”
Cruise portrayed U.S. Navy Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the 1986 film “Top Gun.”
In addition to being the highest-grossing film of that year, the blockbuster hit introduced audiences around the world to the Navy’s elite fighter pilot training program.
The action-packed film also sparked a surge in enlistments for aviation roles during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Navy reported.
The movie’s 2022 sequel, which grossed $126.7 million at the box office during its opening weekend, also raised awareness for the Navy’s fighter weapons school.
“‘Top Gun: Maverick’ brought nostalgia to older audiences and reinvigorated younger viewers’ interest in the skill sets and opportunities the Navy provides,” the press release notes.
Del Toro said he was honored to present Cruise with the prestigious award, noting that the actor’s work “has inspired generations to serve in [the U.S.] Navy and Marine Corps.”
In turn, Cruise expressed his gratitude to Del Toro for the “extraordinary acknowledgment,” affirming his admiration for the servicepeople of the U.S. military.
“I’m happy I have been able to be a source of inspiration to many of the sailors who serve today or have served in the past,” the actor said.
“The effort was not just on my end, but the cast and crew I get to work with on all our sets. They are what really bring the work to life.”
Honorary Naval Aviator
The Navy has previously recognized Cruise for his work on the big screen.Ahead of the release of the highly anticipated “Top Gun” sequel, the naval branch honored Cruise and the film’s producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, at a ceremony held at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, on Sept. 24, 2020.
Bruckheimer and Cruise received symbolic “wings of gold,” becoming the Navy’s 35th and 36th Honorary Naval Aviators, respectively.
“The movie captured the hearts of millions, making a profound positive impact on recruiting for Naval Aviation.”
The citation notes that the film “significantly promoted and supported Naval Aviation and put aircraft carriers and naval aircraft into popular culture.”
Cruise has portrayed a handful of other military characters throughout his decades-long career.
The actor starred in the 1989 biographical war drama “Born on the Fourth of July,” adapted from Ron Kovic’s 1976 bestselling autobiography of the same name.
In the 1992 crime thriller “A Few Good Men,” Cruise played Lt. Daniel Kaffee, a military lawyer tasked with defending two U.S. Marines charged with murdering a fellow Marine at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.
Cruise also starred in the 2008 war thriller “Valkyrie,” portraying Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army colonel who helped lead the 1944 assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler.
The actor is set to reprise his role as Ethan Hunt in “Mission: Impossible–The Final Reckoning.”
The eighth installment in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise is slated to hit theaters on May 23, 2025.
