Tom Cruise was showered with a number of standing ovations at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, where he was awarded the honorary Palme d’Or award.
The “Top Gun: Maverick” star was moved to tears by the accolade — the most prestigious award at the iconic annual film festival.
“Thank you for your time. I make these movies for all of you,” the Hollywood star told the audience.
Cannes officials pulled out all the stops to fete the 59-year-old actor, paying tribute to Cruise with a red-carpet premiere featuring a flyby of jets trailing smoke in the colors of the French flag.
The festival’s president, Pierre Lescure, handed Cruise the award — given to only 15 people in the past — just moments before the screening began.
Cruise also credited his collaborators at Paramount for his latest onscreen venture in the “Top Gun” sequel.
“They all worked so hard to bring this to the big screen, and it’s a dream to be here. I’m never going to forget this evening,” he said.
The Palme d’Or is the highest prize awarded at the annual festival after it was introduced in 1955.
