Chip Somodevilla/Getty;Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty 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 Cruisereportedly declined to beamong the first group of Kennedy Center Honoreesduring PresidentDonald Trump's second term. Cruise, 63, was offered but declined due to "scheduling conflicts," several current and former Kennedy Center employees toldThe Washington Poston Wednesday, Aug. 13. A spokesman for Cruise declined to comment to thePost. 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 complexearlier this year. George Strait,KISS, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallonemake up the 2025 class of honorees. The ceremony will take place on Dec. 7 and will later air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty 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 thePost. "... I had a couple of wokesters. Now, we have great people. This isvery 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 receivean honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards on Nov. 16. Debbie Allen and production designer Wynn Thomas will also be honored that night.Dolly Partonis set to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Jeff Spicer/Getty https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf Cruise earned Oscar nominations for his performances inBorn on the Fourth of July,Jerry MaguireandMagnolia, and also earned a Best Picture nomination as producer onTop Gun: Maverick. Earlier this summer, he starred inMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoningand recently filmeda still-untitled movie directedby Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which is slated for release in October 2026. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto 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 thirdTop Gunmovie is among his top priorities.Maverickgrossed 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, perThe Hollywood Reporter. "Great filmmakers make great movies." Read the original article onPeople
