Tom Cruise at the 95th Annual Oscars Nominees Luncheon on February 13, 2023.Photo: Monica Schipper/WireImage
Tom Cruisewill not be attending theOscars 2023ceremony.
A rep for Cruise confirms to PEOPLE that his absence is because he is currently filmingMission: Impossible 8overseas. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer will accept the award for Best Picture shouldMaverickemerge victorious,Entertainment Tonightreports.
The follow-up to 1986’sTop Gunis alsonominated in the categoriesof Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.
Additionally,Lady Gagais set toperform the nominated song, “Hold My Hand.”
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Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett
Cruise’s absence comes as a bit of a surprise, considering his attendance theOscars nominees luncheonat the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles last month.
In avideo that circulatedon social media at the time,Steven Spielbergcould be seentelling Cruise he “saved Hollywood’s ass"withTop Gun: Maverick, which claimed the spot as the highest-grossing movie of 2022 in the United States.
The legendary director, 76, added that Cruise “might have saved theatrical distribution” entirely with the long-awaited sequel to his hit ’80s action flick.
Oscars hostJimmy KimmeltoldThe Hollywood Reporterin an interview published Tuesday thatCruise would be at Sunday’s ceremony, and he was asked whether he would joke about the actor as hosts of other awards shows this season have.
RELATED VIDEO:Top Gun: MaverickStarsTom Cruise, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller and More on Filming the “Love Letter to Aviation”
Meanwhile,Mission: Impossible 8writer-directorChristopher McQuarrieannounced the exciting news on Friday thatHannah Waddinghamhad joined the cast of the upcoming franchise film.
Waddingham, 48, is best known for her role as Rebecca Welton inTed Lasso, for which shewon the Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy seriesin 2021. She also starred in the 2022 sequelHocus Pocus 2.
Mission Impossible: 8— also known as the second part ofMission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning— has been filming since July 2022, long before the seventhMission: Impossiblemovie’s upcoming July 2023 release date.
The Oscarsair live on ABC on Sunday, March 12, at 8 p.m. ET.
source: people.com
