Latest news with #KennedyCenterHonor
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tom Cruise Turned Down Invite to Receive Kennedy Center Honor from Donald Trump: Report
Cruise is set to receive an honorary Oscar in November NEED TO KNOW Tom Cruise was reportedly invited to receive a Kennedy Center Honor, but declined due to "scheduling conflicts" The 2025 class of honorees, the first during President Donald Trump's second term, includes Sylvester Stallone, the band KISS and singers George Strait and Gloria Gaynor Cruise will receive an honorary Oscar in November Tom Cruise reportedly declined to be among the first group of Kennedy Center Honorees during President Donald Trump's second term. Cruise, 63, was offered but declined due to 'scheduling conflicts,' several current and former Kennedy Center employees told The Washington Post on Wednesday, Aug. 13. A spokesman for Cruise declined to comment to the Post. PEOPLE also reached out to a rep for the actor, but has not heard back. Trump, 79, ramped up efforts to take control of the Kennedy Center arts complex earlier this year. George Strait, KISS, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallone make up the 2025 class of honorees. The ceremony will take place on Dec. 7 and will later air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. While unveiling the recipients at the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations, Trump said he was 'very involved' in picking the group. 'I would say I was about 98 percent involved. They all went through me,' the president said, per the Post. '... I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be, very different.' Cruise is still slated to receive an honorary award for his contribution to the film industry before the end of 2025. In June, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced that he will receive an honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards on Nov. 16. Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas will also be honored that night. Dolly Parton is set to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Cruise earned Oscar nominations for his performances in Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire and Magnolia, and also earned a Best Picture nomination as producer on Top Gun: Maverick. Earlier this summer, he starred in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning and recently filmed a still-untitled movie directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which is slated for release in October 2026. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. After the Paramount and Skydance merger officially closed, David Ellison told reporters that a third Top Gun movie is among his top priorities. Maverick grossed over $1 billion globally in 2022. 'One of our biggest priorities is restoring Paramount as the No. 1 destination for the most talented artists and filmmakers in the world,' Ellison said, per The Hollywood Reporter. 'Great filmmakers make great movies." Read the original article on People
USA Today
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
KISS criticized Trump prior to Kennedy Center Honors
President Donald Trump, not a known fan of critics, surprised some this week when he nominated KISS, a rock band whose members have previously shaded him, for a Kennedy Center Honor. In an announcement Aug. 13, Trump revealed KISS would receive the storied national honor alongside disco singer Gloria Gaynor, "Rocky" star Sylvester Stallone, Broadway great Michael Crawford and country crooner George Strait. In his speech, he touched on a recent decision to overhaul the Kennedy Center, decrying "woke" programming and saying, as the newly self-appointed chairman, he had turned down several potential nominees for their views. Sylvester Stallone, George Strait tapped for Kennedy Center Honors, Trump to host ceremony KISS made the cut, however, despite some previous comments by guitarist and singer Gene Simmons, who once said the president was "out for himself." Simmons, a onetime contestant on Trump-hosted reality series "The Apprentice," told Spin magazine in 2022 that the president had unleashed a torrent of hyper-polarization within the country. "I knew him before he entered politics. Look what that gentleman did to this country and the polarization – got all the cockroaches to rise to the top," he said. "Once upon a time, you were embarrassed to be publicly racist and out there with conspiracy theories. Now it's all out in the open because he allowed it." "You have a different responsibility when you're just a citizen or an entrepreneur. You don't make policy," Simmons added. "It doesn't affect life and death. When you get into a position of power, it does affect lives. I don't think he's a Republican or a Democrat. He's out for himself, any way you can get there. And in the last election, over 70 million people bought it hook, line and sinker." This Trump critic wants Gloria Gaynor to turn down Kennedy Center Honors Similarly, guitarist Paul Stanley wrote in a 2021 post to X, amid Trump's push to overturn the 2020 election of former President Joe Biden, that his behavior was "abhorrent." Responding to a Washington Post article describing the president's push to find close to 12,000 votes in Georgia to overturn the national results, Stanley wrote: "A true danger to our democracy. The issue isn't that it WON'T work. It's Mob Boss behavior and politicians putting party over audits, investigations, court rulings & COUNTRY in an effort to overrule the will of American voters." The grease-paint sporting foursome, who brought a heavy metal sound to the rock genre in the mid 1970s, now find themselves the subject of Trump's praise. Later this year, the president will help deliver them the coveted rainbow sashes at a Kennedy Center ceremony he is set to host, a stark change from the original format.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Kiss drummer calls Kennedy Center Honor ‘greatest honor of our career'
Kiss has expressed deep gratitude at being selected to receive President Donald Trump 's Kennedy Center Honor, recognising the band's contributions to American culture. The 1970s band, known for hits like 'I Was Made for Lovin' You,' was chosen alongside other stars including Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallone. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons said the band was 'deeply honored' to receive the accolade, while founding drummer Peter Criss called it 'the greatest honor of our career.' Simmons and frontman Paul Stanley previously voiced strong criticisms of Trump, with Stanley calling his claims of a rigged election ''abhorrent.' Conversely, founding guitarist Ace Frehley vocalised his support for Donald Trump in 2020, calling him the 'strongest leader.'
Economic Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Is it a snub? Tom Cruise rejects Trump's 2025 Kennedy Center honors, cites this as the reason
Tom Cruise, one of Hollywood's most iconic and bankable stars, has reportedly turned down an offer to receive a Kennedy Center Honor in 2025 a year when the high-profile event is being shaped under the direct guidance of President Donald Trump. According to The Washington Post , Cruise declined the recognition due to 'scheduling conflicts,' though the actor has not publicly remarked on the stance. The Kennedy Center Honors, traditionally organized by the institution's board, are now widely influenced by Trump after his recent appointment as its chairman earlier this year. In his latest announcement, Trump revealed the 2025 recipients: country music great George Strait, rock band KISS, Broadway veteran Michael Crawford, disco queen Gloria Gaynor, and action icon Sylvester Stallone. Notably missing from the lineup was Tom Cruise, as his participation would have arguably delivered the ceremony its biggest mainstream draw. Trump has stated openly that he played an active role in curating the list, even admitting that he personally excluded certain names he deemed 'too woke.' His remarks have further fueled debates about political influence in a ceremony historically intended to honor artistic achievement beyond partisan boundaries. Although Cruise's representatives attribute his decision to prior commitments, industry insiders point out that the actor's calendar is indeed filled. He is actively promoting Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and is speculated to be developing Top Gun 3 . However, observers claim the political scenario surrounding this year's event could have influenced his decision. Throughout his career, Cruise has long maintained a careful public image that avoids explicit political association. Participating in a Trump-led cultural event could have ignited speculation about his political opinions, an outcome the actor may have been keen to ignore. By citing scheduling conflicts, Cruise maintains a neutral stance for avoiding the figures have turned down Kennedy Center Honors and similar awards before when the events have political interventions. In earlier years, stars like Mel Brooks and other entertainers have quietly declined invitations when ceremonies were hosted under politically charged scenarios.Q1. Who is Tom Cruise? A1. Tom Cruise is an American actor and producer known for blockbuster films like Top Gun and the Mission: Impossible series. He is considered one of Hollywood's most successful and highest-paid stars.Q2. What are the Kennedy Center Honors? A2. The Kennedy Center Honors recognize individuals for lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. They are awarded annually by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Perth Now
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
KISS 'deeply honoured' to receive Kennedy Center Honor
KISS feel "deeply honoured" to be receiving a Kennedy Center Honor. The veteran rockers are among the recipients of the prestigious award - which "recognises and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world" - this year and couldn't be happier to be recognised alongside the likes of stage star Michael Crawford, disco legend Gloria Gaynor, country musician George Strait and actor Sylvester Stallone. Paul Stanley told TMZ: "From our earliest days, Kiss has embodied the American ideal that all things are possible and that hard work pays off. "The prestige of the Kennedy Center Honors cannot be overstated and I accept this on behalf of the long legacy of Kiss and all of the band members who helped create our iconic band." Gene Simmons added: "Kiss is the embodiment of the American dream. We are deeply honoured to receive the Kennedy Center Honor." Ace Frehley said: "[It is] a dream come true that I never thought would materialise." Peter Criss simply said: "I feel so blessed. This is the greatest honour of our career." Despite various members of KISS being critical of President Donald Trump in the past, their remarks don't seem to have had an impact on their selection because the US leader said he was "very involved" in choosing the recipients and turned down some suggestions he didn't personally approve of. Announcing the recipients this week, he said: 'I would say I was about 98 percent involved. They all went through me. '... I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be, very different.' In a major change to the ceremony - which will take place on 7 December and air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ at a later date - the president himself will serve as host. When he made the announcement at the Kennedy Center's Hall of Nations, where he unveiled five portraits draped in velvet, Trump admitted he himself had long wanted one of the prestigious accolades. He said: 'I waited and waited and waited, and I said, 'The hell with it, I'll become chairman and I'll give myself an honour ... Next year, we'll honour Trump, okay?' Tom Cruise is believed to have turned down the honour due to scheduling conflicts.
