Latest news with #48thKennedyCenterHonorees
Fox News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Tom Cruise turns down Trump's Kennedy Center Honors invite: report
Tom Cruise reportedly turned down an opportunity to receive one of the nation's highest arts honors from President Donald Trump. The "Mission: Impossible" star, 63, was offered the prestigious award but declined due to "scheduling conflicts," according to multiple Kennedy Center employees who spoke to The Washington Post. Reps for Cruise and the Kennedy Center Honors did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Cruise's reported rejection comes after Trump announced the stars set to be honored at the highly anticipated ceremony in December earlier this week. The honorees this year are country legend George Strait, Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, rock band KISS, English actor Michael Crawford and iconic singer Gloria Gaynor, known for hits like "I Will Survive." "I am beyond blessed and honored to be receiving this award. My hope is that in accepting this honor, I can continue with the inspirational phenomenon that began with 'I Will Survive.' Sharing my music and art on a global level to provide encouragement, hope, empowerment, inspiration, understanding, and unity is the core of my purpose," Gaynor shared with Fox News Digital. "I've always focused on a creative path that will help others and I hope that being awarded the Kennedy Center honor will help me continue this legacy." Trump, now chairman of the Kennedy Center, is ramping up efforts to reshape the honors program — pushing for a glitzier, star-studded celebration. "The 48th Kennedy Center Honorees are outstanding people, incredible, we can't wait… in a few short months since I became chairman of the board, the Kennedy Center, we've completely reversed the decline of this cherished national institution," he said in his speech Wednesday. When reporters asked Trump how involved he was in selecting the 2025 honorees, he didn't hold back. "I was about 98% involved… they all came through me," he said. Trump explained he personally greenlit each honoree, and made it known that some didn't make the cut. "I turned down plenty, they were too woke… I had a couple of wokesters. No, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be." While taking aim at the state of Hollywood awards shows, Trump didn't miss the chance to swipe at the Oscars. "Look at the Academy Awards — it gets lousy ratings now, it's all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don't watch anymore..." The president previously told Fox News Digital, "The Kennedy Center is coming back. It was not properly taken care of and we are taking it back and we are going to turn it back into something great." Sources told Fox News Digital that the president is committed to revitalizing the Kennedy Center, with some suggesting it should eventually be renamed "the Trump–Kennedy Center." Meanwhile, Cruise's latest project was "Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning" – his last time portraying the fictional IMF agent Ethan Hunt. "It's the final! It's not called 'final' for nothing," Cruise told The Hollywood Reporter. Cruise first appeared on-screen as Hunt in 1996, reprising the role in seven additional films, with "Final Reckoning" being the last one.
India.com
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
US President Donald Trump announces Kennedy Center Honours, Sylvester Stallone tops the list
This year's Kennedy Center Honours was recently announced by US President Donald Trump. The names of the awardees announced by Trump are action icon Sylvester Stallone, celebrated stage actor Michael Crawford, legendary singers George Strait and Gloria Gaynor, and the iconic rock band KISS. Breaking from tradition, he will personally host the show later this year to celebrate the recipients of one of the nation's highest honors for artists. The news was announced by Trump during a press conference at the performing arts center on Wednesday. 'The 48th Kennedy Center Honorees are outstanding people, an outstanding group – incredible. We can't wait to celebrate the Kennedy Center Honors,' said Trump, as quoted by Variety. This year's list of honorees is the first chosen under Donald Trump's tenure as chairman of the Kennedy Center's board. The award show celebrates those artists who have contributed to American culture through the performing arts. The move marks a striking change from his first term as president when Trump famously skipped the ceremony several times after 2017 honorees openly criticized him. According to a report by Variety, last February, Trump revealed that he was picked 'unanimously' to head the Kennedy Center's board—a decision that quickly became the talk of the tinsel town when Trump replaced a number of board members who were appointed by former President Joe Biden. The Kennedy Center Honors, a staple of Washington, D.C.'s cultural calendar, takes place every December and is broadcast nationwide on CBS. When last year's awards were announced, they gave recognition to an eclectic group of icons, including legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, rock band the Grateful Dead, music powerhouse Bonnie Raitt, jazz great Arturo Sandoval, and the historic Apollo Theater. Meanwhile, this year's edition also has some reputed names, which indeed promises a star-studded celebration with Trump himself front and center.
