Tom Cruise's absence at the Oscars this year definitely didn't go unnoticed, and while it was reported he was filming the new Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part II, rumors pointed to there being more to the story, including drama with his ex-Nicole Kidman. Cruise was as absent as everyone else for this year's MTV Movie & TV Awards, but he still made a hell of a video acceptance speech for his Top Gun: Maverick win by embodying his character in full and actually piloting a plane.
Tom Cruise came up empty at the 2023 Academy Awards, but he and the movie Top Gun: Maverick got off to a great start at the MTV Movie & TV Awards. Cruise won the Best Performance in a Movie trophy for his reprisal as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and decided to commemorate that in a very special way. In his acceptance video, Cruise was seen flying high in a military plane with the popcorn-covered award seated behind him as co-pilot. Check out the video below:
Things we'll never forget: @TomCruise's performance in #TopGun: Maverick 🎥 Congrats to Tom Cruise on winning Best Performance in a Movie at the 2023 #MTVAwards! pic.twitter.com/dZr3WglpdqMay 8, 2023
I was very concerned when Tom Cruise spent so long looking at the camera and not the airspace in front of him, but then I realized flying is not like driving a car. Of course, I was only a little surprised that Cruise would do something so daring for an MTV Movie & TV Award acceptance video, but he's kind of built a reputation on doing daring stunts. Compared to Cruise filming fight scenes on top of a train, or skydiving with James Corden, this is pretty tame for him.
Tom Cruise was one of many celebrities who sent in a taped acceptance speech, as the MTV Movie & TV Awards was pre-taped this year due to the 2023 WGA writers' strike. Drew Barrymore was originally scheduled to host but pulled out of the live show in an act of solidarity with the writers on strike. While Barrymore did not host the event, the award show kept in the skits she pre-taped ahead of her decision and ran them throughout the night in between award show acceptance videos and clips of previous MTV Movie Award shows.
Not every celebrity went as far as Tom Cruise for their acceptance video. Many celebrities, like Jennifer Coolidge, chose a more parred-down experience that was nothing more than them accepting the award from a room in their house. Hats off to Cruise for going the extra mile for MTV, though I'm sure no one had to twist his arm too hard to do a plane stunt for a camera.
If you're hungry for more of Tom Cruise in a plane, pick up a Paramount+ subscription and stream Top Gun: Maverick right now. I will say that Tom Cruise is well-deserving of his Golden Popcorn award for his performance, and probably a lot more awards than this movie has gotten in the past year.
