Tom Cruise Accepts MTV Movie and TV Award in Mid-Air While Piloting a Jet for 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Tom Cruise was soaring after his MTV Movie and TV Awards win — literally. He accepted Best Performance in a Movie from his jet.

The actor, 60, earned the golden popcorn on the Sunday, May 7, awards show for his role in Top Gun: Maverick, so it was only fitting that he accepted while piloting an aircraft.

“Hi everyone, thank you so much for this award,” he shared while speaking into his aviation headset. “I make these films for you. I love you, I love entertaining you! To know how much you enjoy it, how much you appreciate it, there’s just no better feeling.”

He concluded by promoting his other action franchise, Mission Impossible. The seventh installment in the franchise is due in theaters on July 12.

“I hope you enjoy Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part 1. It should be coming out in July. It is a wild ride,” Cruise said. “You have a wonderful summer, thank you again for letting me entertain you; It is an absolute privilege. See you at the movies!”

Top Gun: Maverick, which hit theaters in May 2022, is among the few films that have won both the golden popcorn at the MTV Movie & TV Awards and the Oscar at the Academy Awards. The action movie, a sequel to 1986’s Top Gun, won Best Sound at the prestigious ceremony in March and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Film Editing. and Best Visual Effects.

Though Cruise clearly had an elaborate plan to accept the award virtually, other stars were more low-key after MTV canceled the in-person event at the last minute. On Thursday, May 4, host Drew Barrymore dropped out to support the writers strike. The red carpet was called off the following day amid the Writers Guild of America’s calls to picket the show at Santa Barbara Hangar in California. On Saturday, May 6, the network announced that the MTV Movie & TV Awards would be pre-taped.

Ultimately, the show included a few comedic segments Barrymore pre-taped, retrospective clips from past years and acceptance speeches that were filmed in advance. Pedro Pascal accepted three awards for The Last of Us. Bella Ramsey, Joseph Quinn and Barrymore also filmed virtual thank you speeches, and many of them gave shout-outs to support the writers strike.

Sign up for Us Weekly's free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!

Jennifer Coolidge nodded to screenwriters while accepting the Comedic Genius award from home. “Almost all great comedy starts with great writers, and I just think that as a proud member of SAG, I stand here before you tonight side-by-side with my sisters and brothers in the WGA that are fighting right now. Fighting for the rights of artists everywhere,” Coolidge, 61, said.