Why Isn’t Tom Cruise at the Oscars? Inside the Top Gun Star’s Absence

One of Hollywood’s biggest stars will be absent from Hollywood’s Biggest Night

Despite saving Hollywood’s ass with Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise will not be in attendance for tonight’s Academy Awards. Instead, according to Deadline, Cruise has opted to stay in the UK and continue filming Mission Impossible 8.

Cruise did not receive a Best Actor nomination for Top Gun: Maverick, but the film is one of the finalists for Best Original Picture. While it’s not considered a favorite to win, if Top Gun: Maverick pulls off a surprise upset, co-producer Jerry Bruckheimer will accept the award on Cruise’s behalf.

While Cruise will be missing from the festivities, a different member of the Top Gun: Maverick family is expected to make a surprise appearance. Lady Gaga will take the stage to perform “Hold My Hand,” her Oscar-nominated contribution to Top Gun: Maverick, during tonight’s ceremony. It was previously announced that Gaga would not be singing due to scheduling conflicts with Joker: Folie à Deux. However, Variety reports that after a last-minute back-and-forth with Oscar producers, she will perform after all.

The other four finalists nominated for Best Original Song — including Rihanna and David Byrne — are also confirmed to perform during tonight’s Oscars.