Tom Cruise returned to the Cannes Film Festival after 30 years and took his award

Actor Tom Cruise received a thunderous ovation after he was presented with a “surprise” Palme d’Or, one that genuinely seemed to take him off guard.

The American arrived at the 75th Cannes Film Festival with the presentation of the new film Top Gun: Maverick, in which he played the main role. The action movie will be released worldwide on May 27.

The last time Tom Cruise was at this festival 30 years ago — in the spring of 1992, when the actor was presenting a Ron Howard film, Variety reports.

“This is an incredible evening and an incredible time... just to see everyone’s faces,” Cruise said.

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