Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller

Tom Cruise: Hi, everybody. You know, I love these, ceremonies. I remember as a little kid, I used to look at pictures of man's Chinese and the premieres they had here and these kinds of events, so it's a real honor for me to be here today, as today we're gonna celebrate a great artist, Ben Stiller. Now I've, you know, Ben and I grew up together.

I really, I first time I saw him was actually, he was doing theater in, Circle in the Square. And then over the years, you know, he and I became very close friends. And I was, you know, he's very, he's so generous because when I was doing Mission Impossible 2, I was looking to do a parody for MTV.

So wanted to call, you know, called up Ben to see, you know, if he'd help me out with it because he's such a brilliant comedian, and he and Christine. Where's Christine? Christine, where are you? Hey. They're, they're on their honeymoon.

And he so generously came off his honeymoon to come and help me. I was like, first of all, Christine, thank you because I was always, it, something I'll, I will never forget, and I'm sure you won't either.

But here's a guy who, he came in and you know, because you have this idea to do something, but he came in and instantly not only was helping to rewrite, but I was standing there and he was directing me. I was like, "You know, give me some notes. You know, what do you think?

Is this funny?" And you could see, and I knew Ben is also, you know, he's a cinephile like I am. He loves movies. We talk about movies. He honors films. And here he is, you know, Reality Bites is the first film that he directed, and I always knew that he wanted to direct from early on.

And you see all the range of films that he's directed, you know, with Reality Bites, Cable Guy, you know, and also another classic, Zoolander, you know. Ben Stiller: Yeah. Absolute Tom Cruise: classic. And then came Tropic Thunder, and I was, had the opportunity to be directed by Ben with Les Grossman. That That, and to me, that was, that was such a gift to be able to play that character.

And Ben knows I love his comedies. You know, I've seen all of his films. You know, Meet the Fockers, you know, I love that.

Night at the Museum. When you look at the range of a, of an artist like this, but also the thing is that I know Ben, and I know what it takes to do what he does, the commitment that he brings, the love of cinema, the love of storytelling, the love of an audience and entertaining an audience.

And that kind of skill, that kind of talent, I think when you look back and see his movies, you have no idea how much this man cares. And not only for his own pride, but the care that he has in terms of entertaining an audience, and the detail, and the range of things that he's done.

And I think I had the opportunity to see Walter Mitty, and I really, I recommend that everyone goes to this film to see it because it is not only a brilliant movie, on every level of the writing, the design, the production, the performances, but it's such a multilayered movie.

You know, I told him, I said, you know, he and I have often spoke about Billy Wilder, and of course I made Jerry McGuire, and that was inspired by The Apartment. And I know the kind of inspiration that Ben took, you know, in making this film and making this film his own.

But it's a movie that really makes you want to go out, and I don't wanna give away the ending because the ending is magical, but it's a film that at the end of it, you wanna go out and you want to embrace life and know that, you know, what you do with your life is something that is important, and that the journey is everything.

And I it's an inspiring film. I think it's a crowning accomplishment for Ben, and I think it's so appropriate today that he is here being honored, you know, at this historical event. And I'm very honored to be here to, announce him and give it to him.

Here's, I'd like to say, a, truly a brilliant artist, and my dear friend, Ben Stiller. Please come on up. Ben Stiller: Gonna shine a light and leave it all behind me.

Whoo. Hello. Thank you. Stand still. You got it. Okay. All right. Thank you.

Thank you Tom. Wow, this is great. This is, this is like a weird, surreal dream. I'm here at Chinese Theatre.

I'm getting my hand prints in the cement. Tom Cruise is there. Michael Jordan comes out, does a slam dunk over a Lamborghini.

The Beastie Boys dedicate a song to me, and Cheryl Ladd pops out of a cake. That's usually how the dream ends for me. Tom, you are amazing.

You're an amazing person, amazing actor. You literally have made most of the iconic movies in the last 25 years. I do think things might have gone a little differently for both of us if I had beaten you out for that role in Taps back in '81.

I decided to go a little more comedic. And yeah, Tom's right. We met, about, we met a long time ago, but we we really got to know each other when we did this little, MTV short, where I.

And I did leave my honeymoon early, but Christine knows it was raining and there were bugs at the resort. But I in the, in the short, I play Tom's, sycophantic stunt double who's obsessed with him. And over the years, we've gotten to know each other, and now I'm proud to say that I'm Tom's sycophantic friend that's obsessed with him.

It's been a wonderful journey, Tom. I know this isn't an award per se, but I'm gonna pretend like it is for a second, 'cause I'd like to, thank a bunch of people.

I wanna thank all the people who've given me a chance over the years, all the agents and managers and casting directors who, took a chance on me even when I didn't even really know what the hell I was doing. I know you had faith in me that I would somehow get it together one of these days, and I did, I guess.

Kind of. To all my really close friends and family who are here, who came out at 11:00 AM on a Tuesday. I know that's not easy, so thank you. My friend Judd Apatow is here.

Whoo. Yeah. Judd, where are you dear? Judd, I feel like it was just yesterday that we were, here shooting sketches illegally on Hollywood Boulevard for our sketch show that got canceled. And then a little bit later, you and I came running out of this very theater after the Cable Guy premiere, hoping that we would someday work again.

And here we are. I'm sorry things didn't work out for you. I wanna acknowledge all the people at Fox who, over the years have, been very loyal.

Jeffrey Katzenberg has been a great, loyal friend. Yeah, the people at Fox have been willing to take very, bold chances over the years on projects, as long as the P&L models seem to calculate out to a tolerable quarterly write-off. My friend and producing partner, Stuart Cornfeld.

Yes. Stuart, you are without a doubt the best producing partner a guy could have, and I would definitely say you are a pretty good friend. My friend and agent, Nick Stevens. Whoo. Nick, I know that from now on, whenever I call you about a job, you're gonna say, "You got your footprints in the Chinese Theatre.

What the hell do you want from me?" my mom and dad couldn't be here, but I did wanna say that, I wanna thank them. I wouldn't be here without the love, support, nurturing, and all the other stuff they withheld from me as a child.

I'm joking. Actually, the truth is, I'm joking. The truth is, I couldn't have done anything without their love and real support. They're two of the most hard, hardworking, talented people I know, and the example they set for me, is one that I've been trying to live up to my whole life.

And actually, my dad did wanna come out here, but he lives in New York, and I said, "Dad, don't come out here. You know, I don't want you to come all the way across the country just for this." And he goes, "No, I really want to."

And I said, "No, it's really, it's not necessary. You know, I don't want you to have to do it. It's a. " And he goes, "No, please, let me come.

I could really use the publicity." I love you Dad. My wife Christine and our two beautiful children are here.

Whoo. Quinn and Ella. Hopefully, this shows you that all the years of not being there for school conferences oboe recitals, birthdays, all of it was worth it.

Because here we are together on Hollywood Boulevard, watching me kneel on the ground, stick my hands in wet cement. And kids, I really hope you're coming to the luncheon afterwards. It'll be fun to catch up.

Okay. Honestly, though, I'm very grateful for this. I grew up in New York dreaming of making movies, and when I first moved out to LA about 24 years ago, I lived in an apartment on Hollywood and La Brea right over there, and I could see this place from there.

And at night when I was lonely, I would walk down here looking for, just Well, to come to the wax museum and you know, go to see movies. But nothing weird. But I've always loved the history of Hollywood and the history of the movies.

It's very meaningful to me, and to be in any way a small part of it is really a dream come true for me, even though Cheryl Ladd isn't here. So, I'm humbled, and I'm touched, and I'm very proud to know that, wherever I go and long after I'm dead, my footprints will be here in Hollywood being stood on by a fake Shrek posing with tourists for a dollar.

Thank you very much.