France’s Culture Minister Grants Tom Cruise Special Honor in Anticipation of Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
The French minister of culture presented Tom Cruise with a prestigious award on July 26 amidst the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Paris. Before the ceremony commenced at the bridge on Senie River, the actor received the honor, making him only the fourth celebrity to receive the decoration.
The Mission Impossible actor followed the trail of filmmakers, such as Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, and Martin Scorsese. Currently, the actor is preparing for his role in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 2.
President Emmanuel Macron appointed Rachida Dati as France’s minister of culture, and she took over the position in January. The minister posted a picture of herself handing over the medal to the veteran actor on his Instagram account.
Was the honorary event for Tom Cruise kept a secret?
Reportedly, the audiences and other distinguished guests who attended the Summer Olympics opening ceremony were not informed about the ceremony where the culture minister honored Tom Cruise. One of the reasons for keeping the event private was the political instability in the city. To ensure the safety of the legendary actor, the government of France made sure not to reveal the venue where Cruise was present during the award ceremony.
After the intimate award ceremony, Tom Cruise joined other celebrities in the industry at the opening ceremony. The actor was joined by Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Shaun White, Nina Dobrev, Lindsey Vonn, Serena Williams, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Snoop Dogg, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Tyla, Queen Latifah, and Rebel Wilson.
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The highlight of opening ceremony of Summer Olympics
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 was graced by performers such as Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. The ceremony’s highlight was Dion performing for the first time amongst the audience after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome.
Dion looked like a vision in white as she donned a pearly dress for the event. The performance by the singer made the viewers emotional as she sang the verse of a French song, Hymne A L’Amour.
The singer went vocal about her sufferings in December 2022, and her last concert among the audience was played in July 2019.
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