Tom Cruise: Devout Scientology Member Branded 'Hypocrite' After Returning Golden Globe Trophies
Tom Cruise recently made headlines after he reportedly returned three Golden Globes trophies that he has won over the years.
The "Mission Impossible" actor did this bold move in protest against the growing controversy surrounding the Hollywood Film Press Association (HFPA). This comes after a handful of celebrities criticized the association for the lack of Black representation on who votes the Golden Globe winners.
The actor's action sparked mixed reactions from the internet. Even though Cruise was praised by a lot of people, he was also labeled as a "hypocrite" by some.
The internet reacts
Since the HFPA was heavily criticized because of the lack of diversity after being reported for not having any Black journalists among 87 members of the board, many pointed out that Cruise is a part of "Scientology"— a religion that has been controversial for allegedly being a racist criminal organization, homophobic, and mysoginistic.
This lead Twitter users call out the actor for being a hypocrite on standing up against HFPA's alleged racial injustice.
Another user pointed out that the actor did the move because he's not been in the spotlight for the past years.
Despite the negative comments, fans rallied their support and commended the actor for returning his awards.
Other celebrities protested
Many celebrities as well as big companies such as Netflix, Amazon, and WarnerMedia expressed their thoughts on the HFPA issue.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos sent HFPA a letter to the association stating that the streaming network will stop its activities with the organization until more meaningful changes are made.
Scarlett Johansson is one of the big names who openly protested against HFPA. The "Black Widow" actress urges the industry to step back from the association, "I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole." the actress stated.
Ava DuVenay also joined the conversation of racial injustice "Everything matters. Even this. The ripple effects echo through our industry, especially for Black artists and artists of color. Kudos to all the activists, artists, publicists and executives who took a stand to make this so." she wrote in a tweet
Reese Witherspoon showed her support by commending Netflix on their stand against the HFPA "Glad to see @netflix dedication to creating a more equitable and inclusive entertainment industry," she stated in a tweet.
On Monday, NBC officially announced that the network will not air the Golden Globes in 2022. In a statment released to E! News, an NBC spokesperson stated "We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right."
Cruise won the Golden Globes' best actor category by starring in the films "Jerry Maguire" and "Born on the Fourth of July", he also won best supporting actor for the film "Magnolia"
Both NBC and HFPA has not released a statement regarding Tom Cruise returning his award trophies.
