Tom Cruise to be honored with American Film Institute award for contribution to cinema

Actor Tom Cruise, known for movies from "Risky Business" to "Top Gun," will receive the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award at a Hollywood ceremony in April, organizers said on Wednesday. The AFI, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and promoting movies, has bestowed the honour annually since 1973.

Previous recipients include Bette Davis, Gene Kelley, Elizabeth Taylor and Tom Hanks. Cruise is known throughout the film business as one of the biggest champions of cinemas."As an actor and producer, he brings an extraordinary commitment to everything he does," said producer Kathleen Kennedy, chair of AFI's board of trustees.

"What I especially admire is his deep belief in movies and their ability to bring people together."Cruise has been nominated for three Academy Awards for acting and received an honorary Oscar last year for his lifetime of work. His films include "Jerry Maguire," "Minority Report," "A Few Good Men," "Rain Man" and the "Mission: Impossible" series.

Cruise's latest movie, the big-budget dark comedy "Digger," has struggled at the box office, finishing fifth on U. S. and Canadian charts in its opening weekend in October.

Last year, he received an honorary Oscar at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Awards. The AFI Life Achievement Award, established in 1973, recognizes a person whose work has advanced film and stood the test of time.

Cruise will join a roster that includes John Ford, Bette Davis, Sidney Poitier, Steven Spielberg, Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman and Eddie Murphy, who received the honor earlier this year. Proceeds from the tribute gala support AFI's education and arts initiatives.

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Key quotes

• “As an actor and producer, he brings an extraordinary commitment to everything he does,”

• “What I especially admire is his deep belief in movies and their ability to bring people together.”

• “series. Cruise's latest movie, the big-budget dark comedy”