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James Corden and Tom Cruise Perform in ‘The Lion King’

Author Laila Abuelhawa
James Corden attends PaleyFest LA 2023 - "The Late Late Show With James Corden" at Dolby Theatre on April 02, 2023 in Hollywood, California. Tom Cruise attends the 95th Annual Oscars Nominees Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton on February 13, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.

James Corden has reunited with Tom Cruise ahead of the final episode of The Late Late Show. Corden, 44, mustered up his courage to accomplish one final mission with the actor, this time without his life being at stake.

The British comedian Facetimed the Top Gun: Maverick star, 60, to ask him to lunch and “much, much more” while Cruise was jumping out of a plane. When Cruise arrived at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre to meet him, Corden informed him it was finally time to enter his world of musical theater.

RELATED: Adele Joins James Corden In Tearful Final Carpool Karaoke

The pair had previously done Cruise’s signature adrenaline-fuel activities, including flying a fighter jet and jumping out of an airplane on the show. He finally revealed his big plan was for them to perform live in The Lion King. Though Cruise initially denied him, Corden was able to persuade him to go ahead with the performance.

Corden introduced himself to their new castmates as a veteran of theater. He then joked that Tom had “limited or next to no theatrical experience.” This made Tom self-conscious, as he listed his worries of the live audience, singing, puppets, and dance. James talked him down by saying they will “set this place on fire because you’re Tom Cruise.”

He gave Cruise an intense cram session ahead of their performance. Performing in front of the packed theater, Corden and Cruise walked up to the stage in a conjoined rhinoceros costume while performing “The Circle of Life.” Next, Cruise returned to the stage as Pumbaa and Corden was Timon for a performance of “Hakuna Matata.” At the end of it all, Cruise became a lover of theater.

Watch their performance of The Lion King below:

The Most Shocking Snubs and Surprises of the 2023 Oscar Nominations

This year’s Oscar nominations had its share of surprses. First, Everything Everywhere All At Once swept the competition, with a whopping 11 nods. The film joins a few other films who also had 11 nods: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), The Godfather (1972), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Joker (2019), to name a few.

As far as music goes, 82 songs from this year’s movies have qualified to enter the competition, Variety reports. Up to three songs can be entered per film, but most studios choose to enter just one or sometimes two in order to maximize the chance of one of them making the shortlist. Curiously, five films entered three songs apiece: 18 1/2, Killing Me Softly With His Songs, Me Vasantrao, 1660 Vine and Tuzhyasathi Kahihi.

See below who we, and the internet, believe were snubbed or surprised to get nominated:

  • Viola Davis -- Best Actress, 'The Woman King'

    This person on Twitter said it best: “Viola Davis not being nominated by The Woman King while we have a atrocity that was Blonde with Ana de Armas nominated, it’s beyond revolting.”

  • James Cameron -- Best Director, 'Avatar: The Way of Water'

    It was quite shocking Cameron was not nominated as best director for the Avatar sequel, as he was nominated in 2010 for the first movie for directing, film editing and best picture.

  • Tom Cruise -- Best Actor, 'Top Gun: Maverick'

    Tom Cruise hasn’t been nominated for an Oscar since 2000 with his supporting role in Magnolia. Michael Caine won that year for The Cider House Rules. And he has never won an Oscar. With Top Gun: Maverick being quite a success (96% Rotten Tomatoes), some fans were anticipating him to be at least nominated for the reprised role.

  • Doja Cat -- Best Song, 'Vegas' -- 'Elvis'

    The absence of Doja Cat’s “Vegas” from Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was likely ruled ineligible because it wasn’t entirely original: it interpolates the Presley ’50s classic “Hound Dog.”

  • Keke Palmer -- Supporting Actress, 'Nope'

    Fans were confused as to why Jamie Lee Curtis was nominated for best supporting actress when there were others who could (and should) have been given the nomination — Keke being one of them for her performance as Emerald Haywood.

  • Margot Robbie -- Best Actress, 'Babylon'

    Many fans of Babylon pointed out how Ana de Armas was nominated for a “not so great performance in an insulting movie but Margot Robbie isn’t for an amazing performance in a masterpiece.”

  • 'The Batman' -- Best Score, Cinematography

    Though recognized for best sound, The Batman was not nominated for the best cinematography or best score nominations.

  • Ryan Coogler -- Best Director, 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'

    Though Angela Bassett made history just by being the first actress nominated for a Marvel film, Coogler should have at least been in the conversation given that he had re-written the sequel to reflect the death of Chadwick Boseman and his character, T’Challa.

  • Jordan Peele -- Best Director, 'Nope'

    Jordan Peele’s Nope received zero nominations and we think there could have been some recognition for the talented director. His first movie, Get Out, was nominated for multiple Academy Awards — including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, which he won. Since then, Peele has been shut out of the Oscar race entirely. Us failed to receive a single nomination, despite an outstanding lead performance from Lupita Nyong’o, and history repeated itself with Nope.

  • 'Nope' -- Best Picture, Production Design, Cinematography, Best Sound

    One Twitter user hilariously postulated why NOPE may have been shut out: “NOPE said in no uncertain terms that Hollywood is a spectacle machine that ruins everything it touches, breaks good people and chews up living things, spitting what’s left all over the Southern California landscape.

    Academy members:”

    https://twitter.com/PhilNobileJr/status/1617890189212528640?s=20&t=TxqCTMhuSDRWRTRDbW61ug

  • Stephanie Hsu -- Best Supporting Actress, 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'

    Hsu was the only member of the film that hasn’t been acknowledged much this awards season for her role as Evelyn Wang’s (Michelle Yeoh) daughter, Joy. Now, the actress has secured her nomination, which she so rightfully earned.

  • Angela Bassett -- Actress In A Supporting Role, 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'

    Bassett became the first actress to be nominated for an Oscar for their performance in a Marvel movie. We remember watching the sequel in theaters and *spoiler alert* when Bassett’s Queen Ramonda dies, everyone in that theater was crying because she was all of our mothers at the moment.

  • Dolly De Leon -- Actress In A Supporting Role, 'Triangle of Sadness'

    Of all the nominations, most people were really mad about Jamie Lee Curtis being nominated as best supporting actress. Most folks either seriously questioned what she brought to Everything Everywhere, while others named other Dolly’s Abigail as who they thought was more deserving of the nod.

  • 'Decision To Leave' -- Best Cinematography, Best International Feature

    Of the best cinematography nominations, the Korean romance film should have been considered over the ones chosen by the Academy. Fans of the film shared their frustrations on Twitter, with one person saying, “yeah, not that I really care about the Oscars anymore, but Decision to Leave was far and away the best movie of 2022, and the fact that it’s been crowded out by some incredibly overhyped films is annoying.”

  • Alexander Skarsgard -- Best Actor, 'The Northman'

    Skarsgard delivered a brilliant performance in this Robert Eggers-directed flick as a Viking who meets a seeress who reminds him to save his mother, kill his uncle and avenge his father.

  • Mia Goth -- Best Actress, 'Pearl'

    Horror movies were snubbed, as they usually are in the Academy Awards, but that didn’t stop Twitter from wanting to recognize Goth’s performance in A24’s slasher, Pearl. One fan wrote, “Mia Goth had one of the best performances of the year and the fact that she’s being overlooked from Oscars,Emmys, Golden Globes, etc because Pearl was horror is sick.”

  • 'Bones And All' -- Best Picture

    Fans of the Timothee Chalamet and Taylor Russell romance horror film felt robbed for not having been nominated for this year’s Oscars. One person described it as “titanic but for weird people.”

  • Taylor Swift -- Best Song, "Carolina” --Where the Crawdads Sing

    Though it seems like Swift has been winning in every category she’s been nominated in over the last year, the musician’s song “Carolina” was not recognized by the Academy. Folks on Twitter gave mixed feelings about her absence, despite having three projects in contention. One user wrote, “Ohhh well, maybe she can try her luck at the Kids Choice Awards?!”

Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.

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