Truth behind Tom Cruise’s mysterious no-show at Oscars

From scheduling conflicts to a potential run-in with ex-wife Nicole Kidman, mystery continues to surround Tom Cruise’s absence at the Oscars.

The Oscars is Hollywood’s night of nights, but one of its biggest stars, Tom Cruise, was mysteriously absent from the ceremony in LA earlier this week.

The actor’s no-show came as a surprise given his film, Top Gun: Maverick, was one of the year’s biggest movies and was nominated for six Academy Awards. Although Cruise failed to secure a Best Actor nomination for his role in the blockbuster – on which he also served as executive producer – the movie was up for the coveted Best Picture award.

However, the potential of winning a gold statuette was not enough to lure the 60-year-old to attend the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre on March 13.

Instead, it appears Cruise spent the evening in an igloo in the Arctic Circle.

Tom Cruise skipped the Oscars ceremony on March 13 - but he did attend a Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 13. Picture: Chris Delmas/AFP

According to The Sun, the action star flew from the Italian port city of Bari, to Svalbard, a region between mainland Norway and the North Pole, to film scenes for Mission Impossible’s eighth instalment. And an added bonus to the seemingly impromptu trip was avoiding the Oscars awards night.

“Tom just knows how these things play out,” a source told the publication. “He’d rather get on with doing what he does best and making amazing movies that millions want to go and see that sit in an audience clapping and smiling for the cameras.”

The source said Cruise was given the opportunity to pause filming and take a private jet back to LA to attend the ceremony, but he chose to pass.

“He’s seen it all before,” the source added.

In lieu of Cruise’s absence, Top Gun: Maverick stars Miles Teller, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez and Greg Tarzan Davis were in attendance, and they cheered on the crew after the film took home the Oscar for Best Sound.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were married for 10 years before their 2001 divorce. Picture: Ron Galella/WireImage

The Aussie actress is now married to country music singer Keith Urban. Picture: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

The Arctic trip comes amid speculation Cruise passed on the Oscars to avoid a potential run-in with his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman, who walked the red carpet with husband Keith Urban before presenting an award on stage.

“Tom was not there because she was there, and he did not want a run-in,” a source claimed to the Daily Mail, adding that his absence was “not personal” and had more to do with scheduling conflicts.

Cruise and Kidman have rarely been seen in public together since 2001, when they divorced after a decade of marriage. They share two children: Bella, 30, and Connor, 28.

Kidman went on to marry Aussie country music singer Keith Urban in 2006. They have two daughters – Sunday, 14, and Faith, 12.