Tom Cruise honoured with US Navy's highest civilian award

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise has been awarded with US Navy’s highest civilian honour for his "outstanding contributions" to the military via his film roles.

It was Tom Cruise starrer Top Gun which catapulted him to fame. The film released in 1986 and he earned the status of a top-notch celebrity. Top Gun went on to become one of the most successful franchise in the history of action films. A sequel, Top Gun: Maverick was released in 2022 and went on to become another major hit for Cruise.

Notably, the first film's success spiked military enlistment in the nation.

Tom Cruise expresses gratitude for Navy honour

For his contributions, Tom Cruise was presented with the Distinguished Public Service Award during a ceremony earlier this week in Surrey.

On being bestowed the honour, the Hollywood A-lister expressed his gratitude for the "extraordinary acknowledgement".

He said, "I admire all of the servicemen and women," to the US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro who handed him a certificate and medal.

He continued, "I know in life, something that is very true to me, is that is to lead is to serve. And I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women."

In the Top Gun films, Tom Cruise starred as pilot Pete Mitchell.

The film is about Cold War flying aces, and it was so influential that the Navy even set up recruitment tables in theatres.

The Navy said the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick"reinvigorated" military interest from younger audiences.

The prestigious civilian honour was previously awarded to Academy Award winners Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for their work in the World War II movie Saving Private Ryan.