Tom Cruise is such a talented actor that he’s given great performances in every decade since the ‘80s. Whether he’s hanging off the side of a building or bringing us to tears, there’s no doubt that Tom Cruise can win over an audience. But as I was today-years-old when I found out the Top Gun actor has never won an Oscar before, I just had to find out the story behind his nominations as well as who beat him to the win.
The Syracuse native has been acting ever since he was 18, when he had supporting roles in Taps and The Outsiders. But Tom Cruise’s breakthrough came from playing an ambitious football player in All the Right Moves and breaking out his dance moves in Risky Business. As Cruise has acted in 55 movies at the time of this writing, it’s hard to believe he still doesn’t have an Oscars statuette on his shelf. Here’s the story behind all of his Oscars nominations and who beat him out:
1. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Tom Cruise's first Oscar nomination was in one of the best war movies ever made—Born on the Fourth of July. The biographical anti-war movie follows the true story of Ron Kovic, whose patriotism inspires him to enlist in the Vietnam War, only to come back home as a paraplegic. After enduring the physical and emotional challenges Kovic experiences returning home, he ends up becoming an anti-war activist. Cruise did a superb job showing his character's tough transformation from youthful idealism about fighting in the war to the disappointment and devastation that veterans go through.
While the Oliver Stone flick won Best Director and Best Film Editing, Tom Cruise did not win in his Best Actor category. Instead, Daniel Day-Lewis won for My Left Foot. Ironically, Cruise and Day-Lewis’ nominations had a lot in common. They both received nominations for portraying real-life people with disabilities. Just like Cruise, it was the British actor’s first movie for which he got an Oscar nomination. While the Hollywood icon wasn’t the lucky winner in 1990 to give his Oscar speech, Day-Lewis did a superb job portraying Christy Brown’s physical challenges with cerebral palsy and the raw emotional depth of the real-life artist.
Watch Born on the Fourth of July for rent on digital platforms.
2. Jerry Maguire (1996)
Another incredible movie that showed Tom Cruise as more than just an action star was playing the title role in Jerry Maguire. In the Cameron Crowe dramedy, a sports agent decides to work independently with the bonds explored between his only client and a former colleague. We were able to see the Golden Globe winner show his versatility in playing a relatable character who has inner doubts and insecurities navigating his career and his relationships just like anyone else.
The War of the Worlds actor may have earned his second Oscar nomination for Jerry Maguire, but he did not get to say “Show me the money!” on the Oscars stage for Best Actor. It was actually Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, who won for the psychological drama Shine. In the biopic, Rush plays a real-life pianist who, after suffering a mental breakdown, decides to make a career comeback. It was through the talented actor’s multi-layered role of capturing his character’s fragility and strength that truly resonated with audiences and critics.
Watch Jerry Maguire on your Paramount+ subscription.
3. Magnolia (1999)
It’s no wonder that one of Tom Cruise’s best characters, Frank Mackey, helped the actor achieve his third Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia. In the Paul Thomas Anderson drama, Cruise’s role as a misogynistic self-help guru with vulnerable layers underneath may have been a supporting role, but it was nonetheless memorable. He dominated every scene he was in that created a character so larger-than-life among the stellar ensemble cast.
Despite Tom Cruise’s unforgettable performance in Magnolia, Sir Michael Caine won Best Supporting Actor at the 72nd Academy Awards for Cider House Rules. In the drama film, he plays Dr. Wilbur Larch who served as a father figure to the orphans he cared for during WWII. Caine’s portrayal of the complex, passionate actor earned him four other award nominations as well as a Screen Actors Guild win for his performance.
Watch Magnolia for rent on digital platforms.
Bonus: Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
For the box-office smash sequel Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise was among the 2023 list of nominees for Best Picture given that he was one of the producers. Before the 95th Academy Awards' nominations were announced, his co-stars, such as Glen Powell thought Cruise deserved a Best Actor nomination, as well as Jennifer Connelly saying he did for the “extraordinary” hard work he put into his performance. It would have been a great honor for the American actor to finally hold the Oscar statuette for portraying his character’s emotional weight and all of those impressive flying scenes.
Sadly, Tom Cruise suffered one of the biggest snubs of 2023 for Best Actor. The cast and crew of the action-drama film were not happy about Cruise not being among the nominees. Miles Teller called out the Oscars snub believing how misunderstood the Mission: Impossible actor’s flawless effort was brought out to his performance and the “thousands of hours practice.” Jerry Bruckheimer also gave his reaction to the snub, calling Cruise the “heartbeat” of the movie. That year, Brendan Fraser won his first Oscar for The Whale, portraying a reclusive English teacher trying to make amends with his daughter while his health declines. Top Gun: Maverick also didn’t land a Best Picture win, with A24’s Everything Everywhere All At Once taking home the gold instead.
Watch Top Gun: Maverick on your Paramount+ subscription.
It’s hard to believe that after four decades of proving to audiences what a versatile actor he is, Tom Cruise has never won an Oscar. But as many great actors found Oscar success later in life, there’s no reason why Cruise can’t be among them one of these days. As the high-grossing actor’s career isn’t stopping any time soon, I’m confident the time will come when we’ll see Cruise holding that golden statuette with a big smile on his face. Maybe if the Oscars finally consider an award for stunts, Cruise could be one of the first to win that for achieving his brilliant stuntwork, as well as acting.
